RAWALPINDI: After the release of its jailed leaders Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, the opposition PML-N is hopeful to retrieve its position in the by-elections in Rawalpindi, Taxila, Islamabad and Attock to be held on Oct 14.

The PML-N candidates have launched their campaigns in the constituencies for by-polls which was in a slow pace before the release of Mr Sharif and his daughter.

A door-to-door campaign has been launched in different areas of Rawalpindi by the PML-N candidate Sajjad Khan for NA-60. Earlier, the campaign was limited to meetings at selected places.

A senior leader of the PML-N told Dawn that it would be difficult to predict if the party would win the seat but the workers got mobilised after the release of the former prime minister and his daughter.

He said that earlier the local leaders and workers were not taking interest in the by-election due to the absence of the main leadership. Before the release of Mr Sharif, Senator Chaudhry Tanveer was helping Sajjad Khan to run the campaign but now other leaders have also joined the drive.

He said PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz did not visit the city during the campaign for the July 25elections.

After the release of the party leaders, local workers contacted Ms Maryam as they had close contact with her. He said though there was no formal intimation about the visit of Mr Sharif or his daughter, there were chances that they would visit the city or meet the workers soon.

Suhail Khan, a PML-N worker, said they were waiting for the visit of Mr Sharif and Ms Maryam which would enhance the momentum in the election campaign.

He said local leaders had failed to properly run the campaign for the 2018 elections which was the candidate's reason behind the defeat of the party in Rawalpindi.

When contacted, PML-N former MNA Malik Abrar said the release of Mr Sharif and his daughter had increased the election momentum for the by-polls.

He said the party leaders would soon visit the city areas to meet the workers. However, he said there was still no formal directive about the visit of Mr Sharif to the city.

He said people were against the ruling PTI who took a u-turn over its promises within three months. “Gas prices have been increased and electricity loadshedding started. Besides, water shortage and political victimisation would further affect the ruling party in coming days and people would use their right of vote against poor policies of the government in by-polls,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018