Madina Colony: ‘Won’t let demolition of houses to make way for Orange Line’

LAHORE:

“We stand for the poor...we are from among them,” the candidates fielded by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in Union Council 130 say. “The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz represents capitalists and the interests of an oppressive class.”

The candidates, who are contesting elections for the first time, say they are planning to take a strong stance against the Orange Line Metro Train project. “Many houses in our area will be razed because of the project...we will resist their demolition.” PTI candidate for chairman Mian Zulfiqar Sharif is a businessman. Vice chairman candidate Hamayun Khan is a professional driver.

They say that they would work to provide residents of their area safe drinking water, proper sewerage and cleanliness systems, a school for girls and paved streets. “The ruling party has failed to deliver to the common man...we are not a priority for them.”  The residents of the area say their streets are full of potholes, they don’t have access to safe drinking water, low gas pressure and live wires hanging low.

PML-N candidate for chairman Umer Basharat is a landlord and is contesting the election for the first time. Candidate for vice chairman Mian Nadim Khan deals in cloth and is also contesting elections for the first time.

They have an ambitious manifesto. They say they will build a hospital, a school for girls and a graveyard. They are also planning on providing residents access to safe drinking water, solving the problem of low gas pressure and say they will get the sewerage system upgraded.

The number of registered voters in the area is 21,644. Of them, 12,690 are men and 9,274 are women. Prominent areas here are Madina Colony, Atta Road, Mohalla Madina Colony, Sukh Nehar, Iftikhar Park, Uqb Shalimar and Al Qadir Housing Scheme.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2015.