PPP gears up poll preparations

With Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) exhausting its energy trying to intercept the Punjab elections, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has geared up preparation for upcoming polls.

A PPP official said that the preparation would be completed by Friday. The party claimed that the decision of allotting the tickets in Lahore Urban, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Sahiwal has already been taken while the tickets holders of South Punjab, Lahore Rural. Faisalabad and Sargodha will be finalised by Friday.

He said that PPP leader Faryal Talpur presided over the meeting to finalize the tickets via video link.

He added that the PPP Punjab was moving ahead with its preparations, disregarding the developments unfolding in Islamabad.

However, PPP Punjab leader Hasan Murtaza said that elections would not be held in Punjab on the given date, adding: “Elections will take place simultaneously throughout the country to ensure free and fair elections.”

He was of the view that holding elections in Punjab would lead to “anarchy”. He said the PPP, despite its principle position on the issue, was completing is ground work for elections.

PML-N leaders revealed that their party, on the other hand, was not even bothered with election preparations. A senior PML-N leader, while talking to the Express Tribune, said that there was no word regarding elections in the party.

He said all the candidates were preparing in their constituencies, but since they were not a 100 per cent sure to get the party ticket, they were not trying their best.

In many constituencies, he said there were more than two candidates vying for the same ticket. “How could any one of them go all in for elections without knowing if they will get the ticket or not?” he questioned.

He was expecting delay in the elections since “the PTI has also not finalized their candidates.”

He reflected on the speculations within the PML-N regarding elections, saying: “If elections are to be delayed, then there is no point going through all the hassle”.