Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan will address a general public meeting at Mozang Chungi towards Jail Rail to mobilise the Lahoris, especially the voters of NA-120, in favour of his party candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid and against the ruling Sharifs for their involvement in offshore companies and other wrongdoings.

PTI’s Central Vice President Shoaib Sadiqui has filed an application to the district administration, seeking permission to hold a rally close to the area of the constituency NA-120 where by-elections are being scheduled for September 17 on a seat that fell vacant following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif in Panama case.

As per the plan of the PTI organisers, the rally will be started at 6pm and end at 10pm sharp on Friday. Imran Khan will appear on stage in the rally at 8pm after reaching here from his residence at Zaman Park. PTI sources have confirmed that Imran Khan will reach Lahore from Islamabad before the rally.

Organisers of the public meeting, including Shafqat Mehmood, Shoaib Sadiqui, Chaudhry Sarwar and PTI Central Punjab President Abdul Aleem Khan, have fixed duties to the local party leaders belonging to different union councils for participating in the rally in the shape of rallies from their localities. PTI candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid will also join the public meeting, as it is being held out of the area of constituency NA-120, the PTI sources confirmed while talking to Daily Times.

Meanwhile, Dr Yasmin on Thursday continued her election campaign, going door to door and convincing housewives at the doorsteps to vote for her. She, while talking to female voters of the constituency on Nisbat Road, said that they should vote for her as she could serve the area and resolve the issues of the people better than the Sharifs, who “never return to the area after winning the elections” in the last 35 years.

Talking to the media on the occasion, she showed some reservations over the polling scheme and demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan and returning officer of NA-120 to appoint presiding officers at polling stations from other provinces, as local officers could come under pressure of the Punjab government.

She strongly criticised the role of the ECP for not taking action against the violation of the code of conduct by the ruling party and its ministers and parliamentarians in the constituency, saying that despite 17 petitions filed by the PTI against the rulers for poll violation, no action from the authorities was taken to stop them.

Later, the women workers of the PTI from the constituency held a vigil in front of Nasir Bagh on Lower Mall, in which party candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid and leaders, including Andleeb Abbas and Chaudhry Sarwar, participated.

Published in Daily Times, September 8^th 2017.