LAHORE: Just ahead of the Cantonment boards’ polls, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Lahore chapter held public meetings in all wards where the party leadership was welcomed and garlanded.

The PTI supporters’ slogans continued resounding at public meetings and the mass rally that moved from Saddar Bazaar to Bhatta Chowk on Defence Road. Party songs were also played and workers and supporters danced. The PTI candidates and supporters moved with the rally within their respective constituencies. People showered rose petals on party leaders from rooftops.

Though the PTI Lahore leadership had injected enthusiasm among workers and supporters by announcing that Imran Khan would be leading the rally, the party chief’s schedule was changed at the eleventh hour. A PTI spokesman claimed that the Cantt authorities had requested that PTI chief Imran Khan and PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz should not come.

Meanwhile, the PTI released Imran Khan’s video message at a news channel, wherein he stressed that people should vote for the PTI and bring real change. He said “Naya Cantonment” would pave the way for Naya Pakistan.

Speaking at public meetings in Ward 1, 3 and 10, PTI Lahore president Abdul Aleem Khan said the Cantonment residents would prove that they were for a change.

PTI leaders Jamshed Iqbal Cheema, Farhat Abbas, Mian Javed Ali, Umer Sarfraz Cheema and Farrukh Javed said the PML-N had started “paperwork” development schemes to hijack the local elections and was trying to “buy” the voters.

PTI women wing leaders Zarqa Taimoor, Ayesha Khalid, Shabnum Jahangir and Mussarat Jamshed addressed various meetings and vowed to prevent any irregularity at polling stations.

At Bhatta Chowk, Aleem Khan said April 25 would serve as an accountability day for those who had rigged the 2013 general elections.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2015

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