Dual celebrations: PTI kick-starts poll campaign on defence day

Sarwar accuses government of influencing the voters

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) took out a rally on Sunday to pay tribute to those who had sacrificed their lives for the country in the 1965 war with India.

The rally also marked the launch of the party’s campaign for by-polls in NA-122 and PP-147. PTI’s Punjab organiser Chaudhry Sarwar, Lahore organiser Shafqat Mahmood and candidates for NA-122 and PP-147 Abdul Aleem Khan and Shoaib Siddiqui attended the rally, which started from Samanabad.

“We have started our election campaign. The PTI will surprise the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N by) in the by-elections,” Sarwar told participants of the rally. He accused Punjab Police and the bureaucracy of running a campaign for the PML-N candidates.

He said the PML-N had issued public funds for its candidates. “Still, it will not be able to woo the voters who are now aware of their rights,” he said.

Sarwar urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of use of government machinery to garner support in the constituency. “The PTI will be compelled to take to the streets if the commission plays a silent spectator,” Sarwar said.

Shafqat Mahmood and Aslam Iqbal said the PML-N was relying on the bureaucracy to rig the by-elections.

Aleem Khan said politics through rigging and corruption would soon come to an end.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th,  2015.