Mandate: PML-N hopes to sweep all 12 districts

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) hopes to win today’s local government elections with a comfortable majority. Some of the PML-N leaders The Express Tribune spoke to said the party hoped to lead local governments in all 12 districts where elections are being held in the first phase. The elections are taking place in Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujrat, Kasur, Okara, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Chakwal, Pakpattan, Lodhran, Bhakkar and Nankana Sahib. The party office-bearers said they expected to win in 170 of 274 union councils in Lahore. “We are in a good position overall. In Lahore, we hope to win nearly 90 per cent of the seats,” PML-N Lahore president Pervaiz Malik said. To a question, he said he did not expect any upset in NA-122, PP-147 or PP-148. “I think the vote outcome will be the same all over Lahore. We will win comfortably,” he said. “The PML-N will sweep the polls. In PP-148, the party will win 90 per cent of the seats,” said Mian Nauman who had led the campaign for Ayaz Sadiq in the recent by- election in NA-122. “We expect to win at least 170 seats. The number might cross 210 if independent winners join us. We think, the PTI will claim around 60 seats in Lahore.”

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