Electioneering gains momentum in NA-120

LAHORE :National Assembly constituency NA-120, which has been a stronghold of PML-N, is witnessing a massive electioneering ahead of Sunday’s by-polls with PML-N and PTI being the main contestants.

While the workers of the two parties have been out canvassing for their respective parties door-to-door, the PML-N seems to have the edge over PTI in campaigning by particularly focusing the female voters this time. 

Historically, the female voters’ turnout had been low and the fresh voters’ stats of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) show female voters constitute 44 percent of the total registered voters in NA-120.

Besides, Maryam Nawaz herself holding at least two women conventions including one exclusive women workers meeting recently, other party leaders especially MNA Shaista Pervaiz Malik has been quite active on the front. She has been visiting different Union Council (UCs) falling in the NA-120 limits and holding meetings with female voters.

The other advantage PML-N has over the PTI in terms of support is cast system. A particular clan in a UC is fully supporting Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif in NA-120. This aspect is particularly evident in UC-59 where Gujjar and Malik cast are fully supporting the PML-N.

The situation is a bit different in UC-58 and parts of UC-57 as former governor Punjab Mian Azhar once a close aide of Nawaz Sharif is now supporting PTI.  Likewise over the years, PTI succeeded to attract many former workers of PML-N in UC-74. This UC has a history of affiliation with PML-N with both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif visiting the area on various occasions in the past. One of the influential families, the Dar family is still die-heart supporter of the party and the first among others to open the party office immediately after the disqualification of the premier.

For Muhammad Waseem Qureshi, from Outfall Road area, no party could dare challenge PML-N in NA-120. “We have a history of supporting PML-N”, he said. To a question he said “People of the area have already rejected the disqualification of the premier, so this is not going to impact the election results.”

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which ruled this constituency in 1970s has a particular vote bank in NA-120 which, however, has got smaller over the years as evident from different past elections in this constituency. PPP’s candidate from this constituency could bag only two percent of the total votes in the 2013 general elections.