Municipal politics: PTI confident of better performance in Phase II polls

Sarwar says polls outcome in Lahore has influenced campaign activities in Phase II districts

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Punjab organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said on Monday the party was confident that it would put up a better show in the second phase of the local government elections scheduled for November 19.

He said the outcome of local government elections in Lahore had affected the pace of campaign in districts that would go to polls in the Phase II. However, he said the party was all set to improve on its performance in Phase I.

He said the PTI had realistic expectations from the candidates it has fielded in the 12 districts. He said he was personally overseeing campaign in 10 of these districts and had toured Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Jhelum, Attock, Khanewal and Sahiwal.

Sarwar dismissed the suggestion that the PTI had lost in the first phase of local government polls. “The perception that we lost in the first phase is incorrect,” he said. “The party in government had an advantage over others in the local government elections,” he added.

Sarwar said the PTI had met the targets set for Phase I in most districts. He said the party had aimed at a 10 per cent success rate in the first phase elections.

“It was achieved in most districts. The results in Lahore were disappointing,” he said. The PTI had won in only 11 of the 274 union councils in the city. PTI’s Lahore organiser Shafqat, Mahmood had resigned from the post over poor performance of the party.

Sarwar said the result in Lahore had initially affected the campaign in the Phase II districts. He said an inquiry would soon be conducted to ascertain the reasons for poor performance in Lahore. He said it appeared that infighting had led to the poor outcome. “Flawed distribution of tickets and lack of focus on important issues in the campaign could be other factors,” he added.

In Faisalabad district council, the PTI had won in 36 of 189 UCs. It had secured 32 of the 125 UCs in Kasur; 20 of the 117 UCs in Gujrat and 16 of the 65 UCs in Nankana Sahib.  It had put up a poor show in Chakwal and Bhakkar, winning only five (of 71) and two (of 64) UCs, respectively.

Sarwar said the PTI had fought against the status quo. “Whatever success we achieved is worth celebrating,” he said.

He said the level of violence in the local government elections held in the province on October 31 was far greater than that witnessed in the local government elections held in 2005. “Our candidates who won on October 31 are shaheens,” he said.

Sarwar said in incidents of violence ahead of Phase I elections, 11 PTI workers had been killed by men associated with PML-N leaders of the area concerned. He said the party had requested the Chief Election Commissioner to ensure deployment of Rangers and army personnel at all polling stations during the second phase of polling.

Sarwar said like Phase I, party’s district chapters were authorised to make adjustments with other political parties if needed.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2015.