Election campaign in full swing in Cantt areas

Neck and neck contest expected between PTI and PML-N in cantt boards’ polls

RAWALPINDI:

The election campaign is in full swing in Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) and Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) wards.

Candidates of at least eight political parties and independent contenders have entered the competition for the September 12 party-based elections in 20 wards of the RCB and CCB.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) seems to be in a strong position in seven out of 10 CCB wards while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has an edge in three seats. Both the parties have a sound position in each five seats of the 10 RCB wards.

Among other parties, only the Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to win one or two seats.

Besides the PML-N and the PTI, other parties including the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and Allah Akbar Tehreek have also fielded candidates in these two cantonment boards.

Candidates have also started popping up hangers and posters with their election symbols in prominent places.

Former PML-N members Malik Muhammad Usman from RCB Ward-I, Chaudhry Usman Anwar from Ward-III, Raja Jehandad Khan from Ward-IV, Haji Zafar Iqbal from Ward-V and Chaudhry Shehzad Ahmed from CCB Ward-V are contesting the election as independents.

Read: PTI fields highest number of candidates

The PML-N vote bank has split in RCB’s wards I, III and IV, while in ward-IX, a fierce battle between two candidates of the Gujjar community of Dhok Gujran, Chaudhry Abdul Shakoor Gujjar of PML-N and Chaudhry Riaz Gujjar of PTI is expected. PTI candidates may have the lead in wards-II, III, IV and X of RCB

The PML-N has fielded strong candidates in CCB’s ward-I, II, III, IV, VI, VII and X.

Former Cantonment board member of Jamaat-e-Islami, Khalid Mehmood Mirza, is also a strong candidate in Ward-II.

Sale of toys with election symbols go up

The sale of toys with election symbols has gone up in markets falling within the purview of cantonment boards and vendors have a field day.

Candidates are also distributing toys with their election symbols to voters and their children in cantonment areas. Even during corner meetings, candidates also distribute these toys among children who visit election camps with their parents.

The demand for toys such as cars, trees, cranes, jeeps, pistols, rifles, railway engines, trains, bulbs, deer, horses, and the elephant has increased.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2021.