LAHORE: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has demanded opening cantonments to political activities.

“Election activities are not being allowed in cantonment area. The political parties are not being allowed to hoist their flags and banners what to talk of holding rallies there. I demand that political activities should be allowed in cantonments,” central Punjab PPP president Qamar Zaman Kaira said while opening an election office of party candidate for NA-131 (Lahore-X) Asim Mehmood Bhatti here on Wednesday.

Arguing that cantonments are part of Pakistan, the PPP leader demanded that the army chief should consider the call for allowing political activities there.

He also demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan and the caretaker government reshuffle and replace political appointees within hours instead of taking days and weeks for the purpose.

He announced that the PPP would not accept returning officers from the education department for their tilt towards the outgoing PML-N government and the ECP should instead draw the officers from the judiciary.

Mr Kaira chided PTI Chairman Imran Khan for what the PPP leader said failing to establish even a single hospital in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the five-year stint of the party in the province.

He recalled that Mr Khan used to talk of improving education standards but could not ensure this improvement in the KP’s education department.

“The gentleman who would talk of making a new Pakistan has lost his old party,” he said in a reference to grant of majority PTI tickets for the July 25 vote to turncoats.

Mr Kaira also criticised deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif for mentioning his 100 appearances before NAB courts as if these were for the cause of democracy.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2018