LAHORE: The excessive, decorative lighting and serving of meals to all those present at election offices of the candidates in Lahore Cantonment polls may mislead a passerby to believe that some wedding ceremony is in progress. Only a second look, discovering portraits of the contestant and attire of those enjoying the meal, most of them from the downtrodden, negates this impression.

At least this is the scene at election offices of the ruling PML-N and opposition PTI although three other political parties – PPP, Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Awami Tehreek – are also in the run.

Polling for 10 seats of Cantonment and Walton boards each is due on April 25. No major leader of any party has yet joined the electioneering. However, the PML-N has tasked its MNAs and MPAs from the area with coordinating with the local leadership and helping it in the election process. The PTI has mobilised its ticket-holders for the purpose.

Almost all the candidates are focusing on door-to-door campaign as, what PML-N’s Sadar election office manager Hafiz Nadeem says, voters in local polls expect that the candidate should approach them in person. Door-to-door also includes going shop-to-shop in the major markets of bazaars of the area.

A match of hoisting of the maximum steamers and banners is also going on among the rivals. There is no lane in the ‘voter-intensive’ areas which is clear of banners of candidates. In posh localities, however, this trend is insignificant. Activists dancing to the drum beats can be seen at the opening of new election offices, particularly in Walton.

PML-N accused of rigging through state funds, machinery

As local polls in cantonments are being held after a break of over two decades, interest of the residents in the electoral process is at its peak, hoping to get their civic issues resolved. Inner-cantonment slums are confronting the problems of short supply of drinking water and gas. To the disadvantage of rivals, the ruling PML-N is using the state funds and machinery at its disposal for luring the voters. Digging of roads for laying sewerage and water pipes may be seen in various areas.

PTI election campaign in-charge for Cantonment Dr Farooq Tahir Chishtie terms the ‘development’ work after announcement of election schedule a pre-poll rigging. He vows to move the election commission to seek justice while the JI promises to follow the suit.

Asked what attractions the opposition parties carry for the voters in comparison with the funds available with the ruling party, JI campaign in-charge Khaleeq Butt says the first demand of voters in local polls is availability of their elected representatives for petty constituent service in matters of lower judiciary, police department and utilities. He claims that as most of the PML-N nominees do not even reside in the area the people will prefer those (from the opposition) who live among them and face the same problems encountered by the voters.

To woo the poor voters, however, the opposition rivals are adopting other tactics. Like both the PTI and JI are distributing dower and sewing machines in various constituencies.

The Christian community is going to play a decisive role in the elections as it has a large population in the area. At least 7,000 Christian votes are in just Ward No-1 of Cantonment. Against its rivals, the PML-N is concentrating its energies on the community. The PPP is content with the notion that the minorities and the poor are its traditional vote-bank.

Hafiz Nadeem hopes that the community will opt for the his party like in the general election believing only this party has the plans and resolve for their uplift.

There is impression that posh localities like Askari-10 are stronghold of the PTI. But the PML-N and JI vow to negate the impression. The PML-N hinges its hopes on the PTI’s internal fight, a fact admitted by the latter’s nominees also.

“The party stands divided into groups of Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Jehangir Tareen, Ijaz Chaudhry, Abdul Aleem Khan and Hamid Khan. None is ready to shun one’s differences for the sake of party’s interest in the local elections,” raged a PTI nominee.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2015

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