RAWALPINDI: The PML-N election campaign is caught in a frenzy of political activity and uncertainty.

Although campaigning is ongoing, breaks caused by political situations have affected the effort.

On Saturday, party workers and supporters were forced to stop campaigning due to a narcotics court decision, and PML-N candidate Hanif Abbasi did not participate in the campaign all day.

PML-N candidates believe that the Election Commission of Pakistan and the caretaker provincial government is not providing a level playing field in many areas, particularly Rawalpindi.

A senior party leader told Dawn the district monitoring officer had fined local government representatives from the PML-N for participating in the election campaign but no action had been taken against cantonment board members running Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan’s campaign.

“Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) member Haji Zafar Iqbal arranged Chaudhry Nisar’s corner meeting in Dhamial ward no.5 at his house, but no action has been taken against him,” he said, adding that at the same time Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) Vice President Raja Irfan Imtiaz was fined for participating in a public meeting.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, he said, led a rally with musical performers but the ECP did not take notice.

“A police case was registered against him for fireworks, but not for violating section 144. On the other hand, more than 300 PML-N workers spent a few days in jail for participating in Capt Safdar’s rally,” he said.

The worst-affected area is NA-60, the party leader said, where the party’s candidate Mr Abbasi had had to spent the past five days in court.

The PML-N’s position in NA-60 is better, he said, but the presence of the party’s candidate is still necessary.

Former MNA Malik Shakil Awan said campaigning had been adversely affected by political uncertainty but the party had carried out a door-to-door campaign to reach out to people of the constituency.

He said this time party workers and supporters were more active than the candidates, and were reaching out to people themselves seeking support for the PML-N.

This election campaign was not traditional at all, Mr Awan added.

At the same time that the district administration removes PML-N flags and banners from parts of the city, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is given a free hand, he alleged, but added that voters would decide the fate of the election and would be in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

PML-N’s candidate for NA-62 Chaudhry Daniyal said Rawalpindi was a fort of the PML-N and the party would win the people’s support despite all odds.

“Although the election campaign was stopped in the last week, we worked hard to reach every house day and night without breaks,” he said.

He said there was little time, and he had spent several days bringing party workers back from jail.

Mr Daniyal claimed PML-N opponents were enjoyed facilities provided by the caretaker government, but the PML-N had the support of the people running its campaign.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2018