‘See for yourself’: PTI boasts new strategies for election campaigns

Party to use documentaries, short films as part of its marketing strategy.

LAHORE:

Introducing a new era of campaigning, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be using a new form of marketing technique for the upcoming general elections — documentaries, short films and visual design.

The party is currently producing documentaries and short films on various topics, including social injustice, party evolution, performance of rival political parties, and voter education (how to use their right to vote), The Express Tribune has learnt.

Imran Khan’s party will screen these documentaries during their political gatherings before the elections as part of its campaign.

Some of these documentaries are being shot in a farmhouse in the suburbs of Lahore under the supervision of key party members, a stalwart of the party, requesting anonymity, revealed. “Volunteers are also working on this social project which would be a unique and new initiative in Pakistani politics and elections campaigning,” he maintained.

“PTI’s vision is to educate and inform people of Pakistan about the atrocities and callous attitude of government functionaries,” one party member said, explaining the purpose of these documentaries. “The party wants to highlight the role of Patwaris, Thanedars/SHOs and overseers (irrigation department) in society and the power corridors.”

Another party member, asking not to be named, revealed that some of these documentaries would be short movies, which would focus on how certain government officials exploit their power.

The director of a documentary on social injustice revealed that at the end of the short film, a young man wearing the three colours of PTI’s flag would appear with the warning: “Gone are the days when the masses had to face such brutalities. Now justice will prevail.”

Other documentaries would analyse developmental and social projects launched by parties during the last five years keeping in mind the cost-benefit analysis.

The party also seeks to educate masses about the “worth” of their ballots and inform voters how to use their right to vote for the most suitable and deserving candidate. “The misuse of votes would be highlighted properly in this movie,” said one PTI member.

Another group of party volunteers is currently working on a documentary regarding PTI’s evolution as a political party since its inception. In this 10 to 15 minute-long movie, various phases of party evolution will be highlighted to inform the masses about the party manifesto and their struggle to bring “true democracy” in the country, sources said.

However, a senior party stalwart added that the PTI would avoid “personal character assassination and mudslinging” on political figures of other parties in all its documentaries as PTI believes in “clean and real political efforts”.

When contacted, PTI Central Information Secretary Shafqat Mehmood said the party was designing an elaborate election campaign market strategy for the upcoming general elections, and confirmed that documentaries would be part of this strategy.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2012.