PTI used state resources to take lead in K-P local body polls: Abbasi

PML-N leader questions government performance, claims of bumper crops

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of using state resources in its election campaign during the second phase of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P’s) local body elections and termed it as the reason for the party's success.

While talking to the media in Islamabad the PML-N leader said Prime Minister Imran Khan, K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and federal ministers also campaigned in the province due to which the ruling party took a lead in the polls.

The ruling party took early lead in the vote count in the second phase of the local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Elections were held in 65 tehsils in 18 districts of K-P. After the polling concluded at 5pm, the counting of votes began. The partial results of the vote-count put the PTI in lead in 22 tehsils, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in five and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in four.

According to media reports, the PML-N was leading in two and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in one.

Abbasi further stated that "even lying required intellect" which the current government "was lacking".

“Where did the bumper crops go? We are importing wheat, fertilizer and sugar,” he said. “The government was paying interest on a daily loan of Rs2.5 billion. Four cheap power plants of the country were transferred to diesel which increased electricity costs. All this is happening due to the incompetence of the government.”

Abbasi added that the cheapest power plants had been shut down and up to 12 hours of load shedding was being carried out.