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Azam Market (Union Council-32) is the only Walled City locality wherein a panel of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP’s) is active in addition to those of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
With the exception of independent panels in select localities of the Walled City, there is virtually no other political force contesting the forthcoming local government elections there barring the PTI and the PML-N. Abbas Kazmi and Chaudhry Mudassir are the PPP’s candidates for the chairmanship and vice chairmanship of the UC. Both are confident about emerging victorious. They said the PPP had always done a lot in the Walled City and its traditional supporters would never abandon the party for any other political force.
Muhammad Tariq Sabri alias Nanha Thekedar is the PML-N’s candidate for the chairmanship of the UC while its candidate for the UC’s vice chairmanship is Abdul Jalil Farooqi. Sabri had served as a councilor in 1992 and 1998. He was later elected the UC’s nazim in 2001 and 2005. Sabri said he had contested all the aforementioned polls from the PPP’s platform. He said he had parted ways with the party following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Sabri said he had left the PPP as it had lost its moorings following Bhutto’s assassination. He said he had joined the PML-N after leaving the party. Sabri said he had served citizens in his capacity as their representative. He said he had focused on maintaining cleanliness standards in the UC and ensuring that its sewerage system continued to run efficiently. Sabri said he had also made a contribution to the establishment of the Mochi Gate Bagh, the Delhi Gate Bagh, the Yakki Gate Bagh, the Akbari Gate Bagh and the Sheranwala Gate Bagh. He also took credit for the establishment of a trauma centre at the Nawaz Sharif Hospital. Sabri said he would strive to ensure the provision of safe drinking water and quality healthcare after being elected.
Amir Ahsan Butt and Aslam Butt are the PTI’s candidates for the UC’s chairman and vice chairmanship. Amir was an erstwhile PPP supporter. Both are contesting elections for the first time. Butt said the two would implement the PTI’s agenda and strive to bring about change. He said they had premised their electoral campaign on the services they had previously rendered to those dwelling in the area.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2015.
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