ISLAMABAD: Taking advantage of police leniency, workers from the PML-N used official police vans to escort former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi during a campaign rally on Thursday.

Mr Abbasi’s rally consisted of around 400 to 500 people and 80 to 90 vehicles. They embarked on the rally in I-9/1, where Mr Abbasi inaugurated a camp office, before heading to Essa Nagri to inaugurate another camp office followed by I-8 and I-10.

Security for the rally came in the form of riot police and four police vehicles.

Police and capital administration officials said official police vehicles were used by participants of the rally, and passersby were also surprised to see people wave PML-N flags from police vans.

Officials said it was expected that a few police officials would be supportive of election candidates because they had close ties with them.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2018