Sahiwal district: PTI looking to push PML-N off the election scene

Residents bemoan lack of educational facilities, sanitation and sewerage facilities


Owais Qarni November 19, 2015
Residents bemoan lack of educational facilities, sanitation and sewerage facilities. PHOTO: FILE

SAHIWAL: Sahiwal division has traditionally been a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz stronghold, however, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf appears to have eroded a lot of the PML-N support base. PTI’s Rai Hassan Nawaz was elected MNA from Sahiwal in the 2013 general elections and this time around, the PTI is preparing to give the PML-N a run for its money.

Shahzain Bugti, son of Akbar Bugti, visited Sahiwal to campaign for Muhammad Sardar Baloch an independent candidate in Union Council 22.

MNA Chauhdry Ashraf and Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran, both of the PML-N, are supporting opposing candidates – Sufian Akram Sufi, a PML-N ticket holder, and Adil Qalbi, an independent candidate – in Union Council 1.

A case was earlier registered against PML-N candidate Asadullah Baloch for violating the election code of conduct.

In UC-23, Chaudhry Asif Ali of the PML-N was elected chairman unopposed after Mushtaq Ghumman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf withdrew his nomination papers.

Most of the residents of the district reside in its rural areas.

They complain of a lack of education facilities, rampant load shedding, lack of sanitation and sewerage facilities and limited access to safe drinking water.

The residents of Sahiwal will exercise their right to vote in the second round of local government elections to be held on November 19 (tomorrow).

According to the 1998 census, the population of Sahiwal division is over 2.5 million. There are 1,307,012 registered voters (576,647 women voters) in Sahiwal. DCO Chaudry Asif Iqbal is the district returning officer for Sahiwal. The Election Commission of Pakistan has appointed 16 returning officers. There are 12 union councils in Sahiwal Urban Area Municipal Corporation and 88 district council constituencies.

There are 11 wards in Kameer Municipal Committee and 22 wards in Cheechawatni Municipal.

Candidates of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf are contesting for chairman-vice chairman panels in 12 union councils of the Sahiwal Municipal Corporation. The Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamaat-i-Islami are visible in a few union councils.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2015.

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