Daily Times

GUJRANWALA: The candidates of all political parties have initiated door-to-door election campaign in Gujranwala.

Reportedly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN), both major parties are undergoing immense hardship over distribution of party tickets for national assembly seat NA-80.

Meanwhile, PTI issued party ticket to former PMLN MNA Mian Tariq, who recently joined PTI while Imtiaz Safdar Warriach accepted the party’s decision and would be contesting election as an independent candidate. He has rejected PTI’s offer to contest for provincial assembly seat.

Contrarily, PMLN issued party ticket to Ch Mehmood Bashir Virk, the former federal minister of NA-80, however most union council chairmen and former MPAs openly declared that they would not support Virk as he failed to resolve their issues during the tenure of five years.

Statistically, there are 402,794 registered voters in NA-80 while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has established 277 polling stations including 116 for men, 114 for women and 47 joint polling stations for casting votes.

PTI’s candidate Mian Tariq had won the 2013 election for NA-80 on PMLN’s ticket, but he quit and joined PTI.

The political analysts asserted that each party’s discipline would play a decisive role for winning the upcoming general election-2018.

“A candidate who succeeds to achieve unity and harmony among his political workers, would secure victory,” they remarked.

Regarding provincial assembly seat, PTI’s candidate Tariq Gujjar and PMLN’s candidate Toufeeq Butt face tough competition as both of them are popular leaders who have been elected as MPA in the past.

CTP arrests six motorists for one-wheeling

The City Traffic Police (CTP) on Wednesday arrested six motorists for one-wheeling and also registered cases against them.

Reportedly, following the directives of city traffic officer namely Ghulam Abbas Tarrar, anti-one-wheeling squad led by Zaheer Abbas was patrolling in the city when they arrested six motorists for doing one-wheeling on the roads.

The squad have arrested 50 youths for violating traffic rules.

DC vows to implement ECP code of conduct during polls

The Gujranwala deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Shoaib Tariq Warraich on Wednesday vowed to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the district.

Reportedly, while talking to the media at committee room, he pledged to follow election code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and said that a complete ban would be implemented on wall chalking, big hoardings and banners while no one would be allowed to exhibit firearms.

“A stern action would be taken against violators,” he said while adding that permission from district administration is mandatory before conducting meetings and holding public rallies in the district.

Published in Daily Times, June 28^th 2018.