LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Monday prepared its election campaign and media strategy for the May 11 polls, giving final touches to party chief Nawaz Sharif’s public meetings schedule.

The party’s theme song sung by known singer Ali Azmat has also been recorded, it is learnt.

The party president would address at least one rally in each district during the election campaign to be started immediately after scrutiny of candidates’ nominations by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a participant in the meeting, held here with Nawaz Sharif in the chair, told Dawn.

The ECP will complete the scrutiny process by April 7.

In some instances, Nawaz would address more than one rallies in important districts, the source said, adding that the route for the purpose is being finalised.

Answering a question, he said former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif would focus on Punjab and would seldom visit other provinces, while Hamza Shahbaz would give more time to Lahore constituencies speaking at most of the rallies there.

Hamza had earlier been running the party election campaign in the by-polls of the previous assemblies.

Maryam Nawaz would concentrate on women gatherings, particularly of the younger lot, and the central election office at Model Town would be manned by Senator Ishaq Dar for coordination.

To boost the campaign momentum, the party chief would give media interviews, beginning from next week, in accordance with the emerging scenario, he said.

TV and print media advertisement campaigns have also been prepared with main slogan ‘hum ney badla hai Punjab ab badlain gaey Pakistan’, while education for all and one million employment opportunities, etc., would be other slogans.

“The theme song by Ali Azmat will be one of the most attractive political songs,” the source claimed. He did not share lyrics of the song.

Meanwhile, activists from Sheikhupura and Lodhran continued with their protest outside the Model Town office against likely denial of party tickets to ideologues and ‘real’ local leaders.

Carrying placards and banners, the protesters were raising slogans in favour of their favourite candidates while blocking vehicles of the parliamentary board members when they reached the office to attend board meeting.

Former MPA Shamaila Rana, who had resigned from the previous house on charges of being involved in a fraud, has not been accommodated this time for the women reserved seats. Her mother has protested the leadership’s decision, arguing that her sacrifices for the party qualified her daughter to be given a chance again.

It is learnt that Raja Nader Pervaiz, an old guard from Faisalabad, has been denied a ticket allegedly because of opposition from Chaudhry Nisar Ali.