LAHORE, Feb 13: The involvement of all major political parties in the election will somehow attract voters to make the turnout ‘respectable', a few people believe.

The triangular -- PPP, PML-N and PML-Q -- contest will strongly contribute to bringing the voters out of their houses and taking them to the polling stations. The candidates have started hiring vehicles to transport their voters to the polling stations, it is learnt.

However, most people still feel disenchanted which is also manifest from the lackluster election campaigns in the city, with the general election just round the corner.

During a survey conducted by Dawn, a large number of people stated categorically that they would not be going to cast their votes as they did not find any true leader but “lesser evils”. They said all the candidates, who are spending lavishly prior to and during election, would be seen involved in grabbing resources and accumulating money soon after winning national or provincial assembly seats.

"The voters are not visibly mobilised to use their right of electing a government of their own choice because they have dominating apprehensions that their votes will not make any difference," said a number of people.

Farooq Safdar, a customer at a department store in Gulberg main market, said neither he nor any other member of his family would cast their votes since they were registered in their hometown in Faisalabad. He also said he was not sure whether or not their votes had been renewed.

Another customer, Saleemullah said he and his family would enjoy an extended holiday on Election Day and follow the election process in the country on news channels. "Terrorism, uncertain security conditions as well as election candidates' rivalry will be a leading factor that will make voters stay at home," he added.

Muhammad Afzal Hayat, however, told Dawn that he would surely go to cast his vote as it was his right to elect his representative in national as well as provincial assemblies. "It is really a matter of grave concern that a majority of educated people do not cast their votes whereas most uneducated people do cast their votes for different reasons, including candidates' assurances for job placement for them or their near and dear ones or development works in their areas. Most of the time they were also satisfied with a pack of household items, he said.

Shahzad Saleem, a shopkeeper, said he lived in Lal Pul area and had planned to cast vote for the PML-N candidate because he had done a lot of development work in the area. “Now they have good access-roads to home.”

He said people in his area were quite enthusiastic about going to polls. Most of the people he knew, he said, wanted to cast votes against the PML-Q to vent ire against the government.

A schoolteacher, Nuzhat said she had been assigned duty at a polling station on Raiwind Road and had no option to cast her vote. She said she had not applied for postal ballot.

Housewife Aqsa Khurram said she was dependent for casting vote on the will of her husband. "If my husband will be at home and decides to cast vote, she would also go along with him. Otherwise, they will remain indoors," she said.