PTI in dire straits in NA-124

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is facing a critical situation in NA-124 where its winning chances in the by-poll scheduled on October 14 are quite marginal for multiple reasons.

NA-124, a seat vacated by PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz Sharif is traditionally a constituency of Nawaz League and its allied parties for almost three decades now.

In the last general elections, PTI candidate Nauman Qaiser got around 81,000 votes from this seat but despite bagging that much vote, PTI suffered defeat at the hands of PML-N whose candidate won with a margin of over 60,000 votes. Hamza Shahbaz in that contest got 146,294 votes followed by 80,981 votes of Nauman Qaiser. In order to cover that lead, PTI has to go extra mile but currently, its situation tells a different picture.

The PML-N has fielded former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from this seat who is running his election campaign with great fervour. Diwan Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din, the PTI candidate from this seat, also a local noted figure as well as the sitting MLA of Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly is also busy in electioneering but response from his own party towards his election has been very disappointing. That is what believed by the supporters of Diwan.

Sources stated that in a recent meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, the PTI candidate Diwan Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din also lodged a complaint of the apathetic attitude of the party government and ministers over lack of cooperation.

Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the constituency when contacted by The News stated that at present, not only the PTI government is in power in Punjab but there have been four ministers from the same city and above all, it has the Local Government ministry but party hasn’t been able to do anything that could attract its voters. Under the Election Commission code of conduct, the ministers couldn’t participate in the electioneering but the PTI supporters in the constituency hold the view that at least, the officials of the departments controlled by the Ministry of Local Government should pay heed to the genuine grievances but nothing such had been done. Local leaders of PTI while talking to The News also raised the complaint that even the party MPAs who have reached assemblies due to Imran Khan are taking no interest in the election campaign of Diwan Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din.

“Situation is awful, when we go the people they ask us to install street lights, ensure cleanliness in the area, want proper sanitation and we are left with no answer” said a senior PTI leader campaigning for Diwan in the area.

“Our government didn’t even install a street bulb, people want deliverance, how can we convince people when bodies under our own government will not work” said another senior party stalwart from Misri Shah. In most of the areas of NA-124 that comprises of the major chunk of Northern Lahore areas like Shad Bagh, Wassanpura, Misri Shah, Sultanpura, Swami Nagar as well as entire walled city area, the street lights were installed in the era of last Punjab government or by the city admin. Since the mid of August and till the first week of October, the PTI writ has only been seen over the sanitary staffers of Lahore Waste Management Company but its workers and above all the voters want a lot more. Recently, an anti-encroachment operation has also been launched across Punjab as well as in Lahore but PTI supporters believe that party should take measures that could benefit PTI in by-polls. Most of the roads in the constituency need proper repair or at least a patch work but the town staff concerned isn’t seen very much active. Most part of NA-124 falls in Shalamar Town whereas it also includes areas falling in Ravi Town.

The News tried to contact Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan but he wasn’t available for comment. Moreover, the PTI workers believe that what adds insult to injury in an already the PML-N dominated constituency, is the complaint related to issue of governance.

The burden of taxes on the people in the recent utility bills has brought the PTI government under fire everywhere in Pakistan and NA-124 is no exception. During the election campaign, the Lesco remains the centre of criticism from public throughout and the lack of cooperation by its staffers also add to the criticism on the PTI government.

Besides, local people also expressed disappointment over the attitude Police which they believe are witnessing no change despite the tall claims of the PTI government. All these things give ample opportunity to the PTI’s major rival, PML-N whose leaders in the election campaigns make full use of the situation.

Keeping in view all the above-mentioned factors, it is very much feared in the PTI cadres that its candidate from NA-124 will even not be able to match the vote bank scored by Nauman Qaiser in by-polls. The only advantage the PTI candidate enjoys in the constituency other than being the party candidate is the vote of his own Kashmiri clan but even then, Tehreek-e-Insaf has a long way to go to end the winning streak of Nawaz League from this seat.

The News contacted PTI candidate Diwan Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din who while responding over the situation confirmed his meeting with Imran Khan and stated that party stalwarts were trying their best. However, when asked whether party MPAs and other members of Lahore were participating in his campaign, he remained silent.