KARACHI: Expecting it as a major and final push to their campaign for the upcoming local government elections in the city, local leaders and workers of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) faced a setback to know that party chairman Imran Khan postponed his Karachi visit ahead of Punjab’s chief minister election tomorrow even before the ECP announced postponement of polls owing to Muharram and rainy weather.

Before the postponement of polls in Sindh, a PTI spokesman insisted that it was the party’s consensus decision that Mr Khan should focus more on Punjab and because of this he couldn’t spare two days — July 21 and 22 — for Karachi and Hyderabad.

He claimed that the PTI was already in quite a strong position in the two cities and key party leaders, including Asad Umar, Murad Saeed, Ali Muhammad Khan and Qasim Khan Suri, were already here to energise workers and build up the momentum.

Though PTI’s leaders and legislators in Karachi stayed firm with the reason given by the party for Mr Khan’s shelved visit, they sounded deeply disappointed and unconvin­ced with the explanation given by the party.

PTI MNA from Sindh says ex-PM’s absence ‘definitely hurts momentum’ of party campaign

“It definitely hurts the momentum,” said a PTI MNA from Sindh. “It obviously dents the campaign. It’s not only about workers and leaders at Karachi level. It’s more about millions of people who were expecting him to be here among them just days before the voting. We were expecting that back-to-back rallies and addresses by the chairman would turn this momentum into votes and bring an easy win for the party.”

Another legislator avoided expressing any disappointment directly, but agreed that the campaign for the local government elections would not get that “last sixer”, which could have multiplied the turnout and pulled PTI voters out of their homes on the polling day.

“As a sketchy plan, on the night of July 21, Mr Khan had to address a rally in (Karachi’s) District Central, followed by fireworks, and then the next day [on July 22], he had to stroll around the city to make speeches at least at three major points,” he said. “Grassroots workers were pumped up and every young voter was excited. They don’t deserve this.”

Critics say that the decision from the PTI — which emerged as the single largest party to win the heaviest mandate in Karachi with 14 MNAs and over 20 MPAs after the 2018 general elections — to put off Mr Khan’s visit vindicated their stance that “he is indifferent to Karachi” and “least cares about the business capital”.

“This is exactly what I have been saying for a while and Imran Khan keeps proving me correct. Lahore and the rest of Punjab are more important to him than Karachi,” tweeted a PTI opponent and social media activist, sharing the party’s announcement about postponement of Mr Khan’s visit.

Imran to reach Lahore today

As the fate of the Punjab government is set to be decided on Friday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan is likely to reach Lahore today (Thursday). MNA Ali Nawaz Awan, while talking to Dawn, said the party chief had decided to remain in the Punjab capital during the CM’s run-off election.

“However, soon after the poll, Mr Khan will leave for Karachi as he wants to address at least one public meeting there,” he announced.

Meanwhile, after a clean sweep in Punjab, the PTI has hammered out a well-planned strategy to trounce its opponents in the local government elections in Sindh.

According to the PTI Central Media Department here on Wednesday, the party has given finishing touches to its preparations and public gatherings for the electoral battle in Karachi and Hyderabad.

A schedule of PTI central leaders’ visit to Sindh had been finalised, and former minister Asad Umar would lead the election campaign in Keamari, Nazimabad, Ayesha Man­zil Central and Korangi areas of Karachi.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2022