BAHAWALPUR: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif addressing an election rally at Ahmedpur East’s municipal stadium on Tuesday announced that if the party is voted to power with Nawaz Sharif as premier for fourth time, the PML-N would upgrade the tehsil status of Ahmedpur East to district level.

The district-level upgrade has been the consistent demand of the people of Ahmedpur East, which they claimed, was the largest tehsil with its territory in south Punjab.

Mr Sharif claimed that his party had always worked for the uplift of south Punjab.

Without mentioning the name of PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Shehbaz reminded him that during his tenure as Punjab chief minister, he along with president of Turkiye, had established a hospital [in Muzaffargarh] and had visited the flood-affected areas of Muzaffargarh.

Criticising former PTI chief Imran Khan without naming him, the PML-N president said Khan raised the slogan of ‘Tabdeeli’ (change), but did not undertake a single uplift project.

The rally was also addressed by PML-N candidate for national assembly Makhdum Samiul Hassan Gilani and provincial assembly aspirants Adnan Farid and Khalid Mhmood Warren.

Makhdum Gilani was elected in 2018 on PTI ticket but later during a no-confidence move against former PM Imran Khan in 2022, he had sided with the opposition.

INTERIM BAIL: The additional district sessions judge granted interim bail to nine people, including two PTI candidates for national and Punjab assemblies.

The Burewala police, acting on a complaint from the Machiwal SHO, had filed a case against PTI candidates Ayesha Jatt, for NA-156, Vehari, her sister Arfa Jatt, Barrister Nisar Khalid Dogar, candidate for PP-231, along with 10 nominated PTI activists and over 50 unidentified people.

They were accused of allegedly organising a rally where speeches against the government were made and slogans raised against the government.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024