Daily Times

LAHORE: Though the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to field Kulsoom Nawaz, wife of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, in NA-120 by-poll, the party is yet to start the election campaign in the constituency as no poster, flex or banner is displayed anywhere in the constituency.

According to sources, the major reason behind the delay in the election campaign is the “iqama” (work permit) of Kulsoom Nawaz revealed by Shireen Mizari of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which took the Internet by storm.

Also Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, who actively participated in the PML-N election campaign in the previously held NA-120 elections, was not seen wooing the voters this time around.

Most of the leaguers were of the view that they were not much worry about the NA-120 by-poll, claiming that the party would easily won the NA-120 seat given the “huge vote bank” of the PML-N in the area. They said that rally of Nawaz Sharif on August 12 at Data Darbar Chowk would also help bolster PML-N support in NA-120.

Moreover, the party has also not issued directives regarding the election campaign in NA-120. On the contrary, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate, Dr Yasmin Rashid had already visited 26 localities of the constituency and was also holing door-to-door campaign.

The PTI had displayed banners, posters and flexes in the area and its female workers were also holding corner meeting in the constituency. Political pundits said that it was a right idea to field Kulsoom Nawaz for NA-120 by-poll but her “iqama” revealed by Shireen Mizari might deal a heavy blow to her candidature.

Moreover, the tweets of Shireen Mizari were also fuelling the issue. It might be mentioned that the seat had fallen vacant after the disqualification of prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case.

Published in Daily Times, August 14^th 2017.