LAHORE: The PML-N has finally announced launching of its election campaign across the country from Jan 15, the day it is going to put out its manifesto.

The party’s announcement came on Wednesday when PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in Lahore taunted the Sharifs for their failure to launch polls campaign and field its candidates.

“The PML-N will launch the election campaign in the country from Jan 15 under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif,” PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah said on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.

The PML-N is all set to bring out its manifesto, for which it created much hype, on Jan 15.

For the last two months the PML-N’s over 30 different sub-committees have been sitting together to prepare the party’s election manifesto. The delay in preparation of the manifesto has put a question mark on the ability of the committees’ chief Senator Irfan Siddiqui for his failure to effectively coordinate with committees to get the job done at the earliest.

Rana Sanaullah claims there have been no differences within the party over award of tickets

“Nawaz Sharif wants a manifesto which has a mass appeal, different from other parties’ manifesto, besides it shows him a democrat who believes in the power of vote,” a party insider told Dawn.

Nawaz Sharif had been perturbed for his party being labelled as the ‘favourite’ of the establishment, an impression he desperately wanted to dispell during the election campaign which will kick off next week, he added.

Regarding problems over award of tickets, Mr Sanaullah claimed there had been no differences in the party over award of tickets. However, he said, consultation was under way (over the tickets issue) in some constituencies.

He further said the PML-N would announce award of tickets in a day or two. “The mandatory assessment has been done on party tickets; the president’s office will issue the list shortly.”

On the possibility of delay in polls, Mr Sanaullah said the PML-N had made it clear that his party was not in favour of delay in elections. “We want free and fair elections on time.”

Delay in the launch of polls campaign is primarily caused by the PML-N’s long deliberations in ticket distribution and seat adjustment with the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) and PML-Q.

Besides, the party showed no rush in this regard as the confidence is apparently due to the complacency for having a “good equation” with the powerful quarters.

On the other hand, the PPP is running an aggressive campaign. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has been in Lahore for over a week, openly campaigning in the city’s NA-127 constituency and calling out the Sharifs almost daily.

PML-N’s Tarar to take on PPP chief in NA-127

Although the PML-N has yet to announce the party tickets, its deputy secretary general Attaullah Tarar launched his election campaign in NA-127 on Wednesday saying there would be a good fight between him and Bilawal Bhutto.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Sardar Latif Khosa and Senator Ijaz Chaudhry have also filed nomination papers from this constituency.

“We will not target personalities as we talk on the problems the people are facing and our development work during the campaign,” he said.

IPP’s Aleem hints at contesting from NA-117

As the PML-N is “compelled” to accommodate key candidates of IPP, the latter’s president Aleem Khan on Wednesday hinted at contesting on NA-117 instead of NA-119 (Lahore) where PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz is also in the run for Feb 8 polls.

“Mian Junaid Zulfiqar, a candidate of PP-145 which falls in NA-117, has met me and decided to participate in his election campaign,” Aleem Khan said. Mr Zulfiqar, along with all his colleagues, announced joining the IPP.

Earlier, Aleem Khan reportedly had requested the Sharifs to ask Maryam Nawaz to vacate the NA-119 seat for him as he had already launched his campaign from there.

“However, Ms Nawaz told the leadership to adjust Aleem on NA-117 as even this will be a favour to him,” the source said.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2024