LAHORE, Nov 20: Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) is planning to launch electioneering in selected constituencies for it feels that the current political standoff will not allow the assemblies to last long.

Only those constituencies are being selected under the plan where the party has bagged more than 10,000 votes in the Oct 10 general election.

It will launch various public welfare projects in these areas to develop its image among the masses.

Most of these constituencies are located in the suburbs of Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Multan districts.

During the last elections, the party had raised the slogan of “People first of all” besides promising a number of welfare schemes with a major thrust on education sector. For its projects, it has divided the education sector into three parts — quality, professional and informal.

Negotiations are in final stages with an international school system that would open a chain of quality institutions for the country’s elite.

In the professional sector, it plans to launch 100 information technology centres besides small technical training schools for enabling the jobless to earn livelihood.

“The party will set a unique example by implementing its manifesto without coming into power,” additional secretary-general Makhdoom Tanvir Qureshi said.

However, he said the scope of these projects would be low for a political party could not afford sizable ventures.

The PAT launched 1,000 informal schools in 1993 to create awareness among the rural masses about the modern world and increase the literacy rate. Out of them, 500 centres were converted into formal schools, after sufficient resources had been generated for the purpose.

Mr Qureshi said rural areas were being selected with a specific purpose. Revolutions always start in villages and blossom in cities, he added.

He claimed that a number of prominent figures would join the PAT soon after Eid when party chief Dr Tahirul Qadri was free of his Ramazan engagements.

Meanwhile, a party spokesman said that Dr Qadri would vote for Mir Zafarullah Jamali for prime minister’s office.