PML-N, PTI ready for electoral showdown

The implications of an absolute win for any political party in the upcoming byelections in Punjab are manifold especially in light of the recent Supreme Court order which requires a run off election for the seat of the Chief Minister (CM) of the province.

It is these implications which have led to the polls being perceived as a referendum of sorts on which party is better suited to run the country. Furthermore, the grave repercussions of a loss on the coalition government in the Centre, has resulted in the political machinery of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) engaging in a fierce battle comprised of rampant jalsas and corner meetings.

While political analysts have termed the election as a ‘do or die’ situation, the general population does not tend to agree. Bashir Ahmed, a resident of the PP-158 constituency, where PTI’s dissident Aleem Khan contested in 2018, said that inflation was uncontrollable even during Imran Khan’s rule and the situation is the same under the present PML-N government. In Ahmed’s constituency, comprising Lahore’s posh areas, Rana Ahsan Sharafat of the PML-N is up against Akram Usman of the PTI, with Aleem Khan pledging his full support to Sharafat. However, this does not concern Ahmed. “The people are not interested in political battles,” he said, adding that the public needs an immediate reduction in inflation.

However, in PP-167, where PTI’s dissident Nazir Chauhan is contesting elections on a PML-N ticket against PTI’s new candidate Shabbir Gujjar, the public’s mood is different. A fiery Khawaja Aqeel, long term resident of the constituency, said that he and his family would vote for Imran Khan as Khan was fighting against thieves.

While Aqeel is firmly behind the PTI, in PP-168, Shehzad, a resident, said that he would vote for the PML-N. When asked why, Shehzad replied: “Imran Khan accused the United States of a conspiracy and then admitted that he knew everything six months ago. So, the PTI leadership lies to the people, they are the reason for the ongoing inflation.” In Shehzad’s constituency, Malik Asad Khokhar is contesting from the PML-N against Nawaz Awan of the PTI, and the constituency is considered a PML-N stronghold considering current Federal Minister Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique, won the seat in 2018 but later vacated it; leading to a PTI win.

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Meanwhile, PP-170 voters Imran, Mudassar, and Shakeel are torn between who to vote for. They stated that they wanted to try the PTI again but were also aware that the PML-N government was making serious efforts to solve the current problems. When asked who they thought could carve out a win, they opined, “both parties have an equal chance.” However, the rural constituency particularly poses a big threat to the PML-N, as the PTI candidate Malik Zaheer Abbas Khokhar has been pegged by analysts to give the PML-N candidate, Muhammad Amin Zulqarnain, a tough time.

PTI Lahore President, Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood, is confident of a win in not only PP-170 but in all 20 by-election constituencies. “The party has worked hard with full solidarity in the upcoming elections and our work will translate into votes. The people who are suffering from this terrible inflationary wave will surely put a stamp on the bat on the ballot paper.”

However, Imran Goraiah, who is the PML-N’s Deputy Secretary Information, does not agree, stating that the public knows that the ousted Imran Khan government is responsible for the current inflation due to their agreement with the IMF on strict terms. “The voters have given tremendous support to us in the campaign so far. The successful meetings of Maryam Nawaz are proof that the victory of PML-N in the by-elections is certain,” Goariah predicted while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2022.