SIALKOT: PML-N candidate from NA-73 Sialkot-II, former foreign minister Khwaja Asif, has formally launched his election campaign by going door to door to seek support of the people.

Asif is a consecutive five-time winner from this constituency and is flexing his muscles to achieve a double hat-trick with this year’s elections.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has fielded its previous candidate Usman Dar against Asif with claims of giving a “tough time” to the PML-N.

Addressing a meeting of party workers here on Tuesday, Asif claimed that the PML-N will win the elections based on its five-year performance. The party was striving to ensure the dignity, honour and respect of the vote as well as voters.

He claimed that only the PML-N had the capability to pull the country out of the prevailing internal and external dangers besides foiling all anti-Pakistan conspiracies.

DEFECTION: PTI’s Sambrial President Amjad Iqbal Cheema has joined the PML-N. He announced this while talking to the media here on Tuesday.

Cheema announced his unconditional support for PML-N candidates, former MNA Rana Shamim Ahmed in Sambrial city’s NA-76 Sialkot-V and Chaudhry Arshad Javaid Warraich in PP-44 Sialkot-X.

According to local political pundits, Cheema’s joining of the PML-N could be a setback for the PTI in Sambrial city.

CAMPAIGN: PTI leader and former governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar reached Sialkot to formally launch a campaign for the party’s candidate, Usman Dar, in the city’s NA-73 Sialkot-II constituency.

Addressing a meeting of party workers, Sarwar said the prevailing political scenario in the country had lifted the curtains off corrupt politicians who plundered the national exchequer. He claimed the “politically mature people” of Pakistan will bring the PTI into power with their votes this time.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2018