LAHORE: Electioneering for a PP-168 by-election is picking up as Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and PML-N candidates are approaching voters door to door to win the seat vacated by Khwaja Saad Rafique – after winning the NA-131 by-election.

Overall 11 candidates are contesting the by-poll to be held on Dec 13.

The PTI has fielded Malik Asad Ali Khokhar, who was earlier its candidate for NA-136 (Lahore-XIV) in the July 25 polls but lost. The PML-N has fielded advocate Rana Khalid.

Mr Khokhar is saying at rallies voters would reject the looters and plunderers in the by-election. The PTI has become the largest political party and would bring about a real change to usher in a new era of development in the country. He says the constituency has been ignored by the previous PML-N government.

MNA Saad Rafique, who vacated the seat, says PTI chairman Imran Khan is ignoring ideological workers. “Khan awarded PP-168 ticket to yet another ATM, who is spending huge sum of money on buying votes for the by-poll,” he said. His party, he says, awarded ticket to a loyal worker. “Khan only used ideological workers for campaigns and preferred ATMs (rich persons) for election tickets. Is the Naya Pakistan only for such ATMs?” he asked.

He also urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to look into the violations by the PTI candidate.

NATIONAL VOTERS DAY: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has said the July 2018 elections were held in a most fair and transparent manner and there was no possibility of rigging.

Speaking at a National Voters Day event at Governor’s House on Friday, the governor said the ECP had conducted the general election with complete honesty and impartiality. He also said that the commission’s internet voting experience remained successful and overseas Pakistanis polled their votes.

He said no progress could be materialized without devolving powers at grassroots level. “The federal government devolved powers to the provinces but the latter did not devolve powers to the local government representatives,” he said.

The governor said the PTI was introducing amendments to the local government system to empower local government representatives administratively and financially. He said 30 per cent of the development budget would be given to the village councils.

He said the National Voters Day was being observed to educate masses to get their votes registered so that they could be able to elect their representatives. He said the new electoral laws demand that the voters should get themselves registered according to their residential addresses on their CNICs.

The governor also stressed that the political parties should also educate masses for the registration of their votes.

The Punjab Election Commissioner, ECP member retired Justice Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi and retired Justice Nasira Javed Iqbal also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2018