Does PTI’s exit mean walkover for PML-N in polls?

LAHORE:

As the political atmosphere in the country by and large remains nonchalant seemingly because of the PTI’s exit from the political arena, it has practically become unnecessary for its rival the PML-N to launch its election campaign.

However, the PML-N has finalised its schedule for nationwide election rallies, which will start from Jan 15 and continue till Feb 6, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The PML-N seems to have received a walkover in the upcoming elections as it is the only party with any chances of giving the others a run for their money.

The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has already entered into a seat adjustment with the PML-N while the other players in Punjab, which include the PPP, were too insignificant to make any impact on the outcome.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has encamped in Punjab to cash in on the PTI’s misfortune, but the chances of the party making any impact in the province are very slim.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-N Central Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said her party would launch its election campaign on Jan 15 with a rally in Okara.

She added that the rally in Okara would be led by PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz. It would be followed by a rally in Hafizabad led by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Read: PTI’s 'Plan B' unravels as PTI-N dispute over electoral symbol emerges

On Jan 17, party President Shehbaz Sharif will lead a rally in Multan followed by another one in Mandi Bahauddin on Jan 19. These rallies will continue till Feb 6.

Speaking on the Supreme Court’s verdict that deprived the PTI of its cherished electoral symbol of the ‘cricket bat’, Marriyum maintained that the party itself was responsible for this decision as they did not conduct internal polls as per the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) code of conduct.

She claimed that the PTI had only its former chairman Imran Khan to blame for its woes as he had become addicted to overriding the electoral machinery for favourable outcomes similar to what he did during the 2018 general polls when the Results Transmission System (RTS) was shut down.

The PML-N leader said if any other party had carried out the same act, its consequences would have been no different.

When asked about the perception that the PML-N had sought assurance from the ‘powerful circles’ of ensuring the ouster of the PTI from the political arena, she replied that her party had no part to play in this decision.

“We didn’t ask the PTI not to conduct its (intra-party) elections in such a manner,” she added.

To a query as to how can a party, which was not allowed to even exist by the ‘powerful circles’ and whose activists were scared of showing their affiliation with it fearing for their lives and properties, conduct its internal elections in a way defined by the ECP, the former federal information minister said it was not about victimisation or a level-playing field, but actually about not following the procedure.

To a question, she maintained that the PML-N had nothing to fear and there was no truth behind the perception that it was scared of facing the PTI in the field because of its so-called rising popularity.

To another query about the PML-Q’s reservations with the PML-N for not offering it enough seats, Marriyum said the party was its ally and it respected it for its support during the previous coalition government.

She continued that the PML-N would address the PML-Q’s concerns. “A committee formed to chalk out a seat adjustment formula is looking into the matter,” she added.