ATTOCK: Campaigning in Attock has entered its final stages, with candidates addressing public gatherings and corner meetings across the district as polling day nears.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for NA-55, NA-56 and PP-3 Major Tahir Sadiq, and PP-1 candidate Syed Yawer Bukhari have said at campaign events that the party’s prime objective is to provide employment for young people.

They have also called on democratic forces to align their objectives with PTI Chairman Imran Khan, and said the concept of feudalism should be eliminated from society and everyone should have equal rights.

Both candidates recently attended corner meetings and gave speeches at public meetings in Fatehjang, Attock city, Mirza village, Jallo village and other places. Mr Bukhari also visited Sheenbagh, People’s Colony, Sattar Chowk and so on.

Malik Sohail Kamrial, PML-N’s candidate in NA-56, said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had been falsely accused to weaken the party in the elections.

He said that while Sharif was not currently leading the party, he would get justice and be released for crimes he had not committed, and the party would keep their motto – to respect the vote – alive.

Mr Kamrial has been campaigning actively alongside PP-3 candidate Asif Ali Malik and PP-4 candidate Chaudhry Sher Ali, both of whom have been attending public meetings in areas such as Fatehjang, Pindigheb, Dharnal, Kisran, Jhang Bahtar and so on. They have also gone door-to-door to visit with village elders.

PPP NA-56 candidate Sardar Saleem Haider said the party’s major objective was to provide everyone with the three basic necessities of life: food, shelter and water. He said the party was being operated under the leadership of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and was progressing well.

Mr Haider, assisted by PP-1 candidate Sardar Irfan and NA-55 candidate Sardar Zulfiqar Hayat, has been participating in a door-to-door campaign in parts of the district, including Jhand, Burhan, Jallo, Mirza and so on.

He has also visited areas such as Turab village in Jhand and Mangial village in the Qutbal union council.

Independent candidate Malik Shehryar Khunda from NA-56 recently attended a public meeting in Jhand that showcased the strength of his Khunda group.

Along with other activists, the group has held corner meetings or met with various individuals. Other candidates from the group are PP-4 candidate Malik Riyasat Sadrial and PP-5 candidate Sardar Manzar.

They have said that the conventional parties have not done anything for the welfare of the country. Pakistan has been under the influence of the PPP and PML-N, and the parties have run the government in an alternating pattern but their officials and leaders are corrupt. They have called on people to vote for someone outside the parties to bring change.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018