Politicking gathers pace ahead of LG polls

Buzdar chairs meeting for consultation on elections

LAHORE:

Ahead of local government elections in Punjab, political activities have been beefed up in the provincial capital by all political parties.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) -led Punjab government has initiated hundreds of development projects in almost all parts of the metropolis and major cities as part of its electioneering strategy, while senior leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) working in close cooperation to jointly counter the ruling PTI in upcoming local government elections in Punjab.

Read: PM to lead PTI’s mass contact drive to mobilise workers: Farrukh

PTI’s major ally in Punjab and Islamabad, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has already announced to jointly contest local government elections in Punjab. The PML had already dented the PML-N by breaking Nawaz Sharif’s close associate from Gujrat, Alhaj Amjad Farooq and his associates who announced joining the PML on Sunday.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi underlined that Imran Khan is an honest leader having good intentions. He wants to do something for the country. “We as allies are and will stay together at every stage,” he maintained.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, on Monday, chaired a meeting in his office for a consultation on local government elections in Punjab. The meeting was also attended by Federal Ministers Shafqat Mahmood and Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Minister of State Muhammad Shabbir Ali Qureshi, Provincial Minister for Finance Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht, Abdul Hai Dasti, Khurram Sohail Khan Leghari, Muhammad Ashraf Khan Rind, Mian Alamdar Abbas Qureshi and Muhammad Aoun Hameed.

It reviewed proposals related to upcoming local government elections and party affairs.

The meeting agreed to nominate strong candidates through consultation and underscored that with party-based elections, real leadership would emerge at the grassroots and direct elections would bring about real change in the politics of local bodies.

Buzdar said serving people is the agenda of the PTI.

“We are all united under the leadership of PM Imran Khan and the nation has unshakable faith in the leadership of the Prime Minister,” he added.

He pointed out that the opposition did not give up its negative attitude in this critical situation and weakened the country with the politics of anarchy which was against the national interest.

Those engaged in the politics of anarchy should realise facts, he added.

Meanwhile, Nawab of Bahawalpur's son Nawab Bahawal Abbasi called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and announced joining the PTI. Buzdar welcomed Nawab Bahawal Abbasi to PTI adding that it would further strengthen PTI in Bahawalpur.

Read: PM tells elected reps to work for PTI image boost

The PTI, under PM Imran Khan, is the most popular party in Pakistan and Bahawalpur is a stronghold of PTI, he asserted.

The chief minister noted that the new Pakistan National Health Card has provided free treatment facilities to Bahawalpuriites as the PTI is committed to addressing the deprivations of south Punjab. South Punjab and other less-developed areas of the province have been given priority in the development program, he further stated.

Nawab Bahawal Abbasi also reposed his full confidence in the leadership of PM Imran Khan and Buzdar adding that the PTI was a genuine representative of the masses and the commitment to public service would be fulfilled through PTI's platform.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2022.