MULTAN: The civil administration under Commissioner Bilal Butt is trying to make the rally of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif successful by using government machinery.

Besides Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz will address the rally on Friday at Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh. For the first time, the district administration has contacted reporters of private TV channels and newspapers to cover any political party’s rally and assured them of their full support for the proper coverage of the event.

This correspondent visited the venue on Thursday morning and saw the staff of Multan Solid Waste Management Company was cleaning the stadium. Similarly, district government officials were arranging electricity supply.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Arshad Gopang told reporters the organisers had deposited Rs150,000 for electricity.

Sources said Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana arrived in the city on Thursday and also held meetings with the civil administration. Banners with the pictures of the governor were also hoisted at several city spots.

Commissioner Butt, Deputy Commissioner Zahid Sohail, Regional Police Officer Muhammad Idrees and City Police Officer Sarfraz Falki visited the venue along the local leadership of the PML-N to check security for the venue.

Up to 2,656 security personnel will deployed in and outside the site while CCTV cameras have been installed at sensitive places.

When it was busy utilising resources for the rally, the civil administration refused to allow MNA Jamshed Dasti to hold a public gathering at the stadium on the same day, though he claimed that he applied for permission before the PML-N did.

Spokesperson for District Administration Wasim Yousaf denied the usage of the civil administration to make the event successful.

He said that Multan Solid Waste Management Company did not fall under the deputy commissioner.

Commissioner Butt also denied using state machinery for the ruling party rally.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018