RAWALPINDI: The district administration has refused to grant permission to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) candidate in NA-56 Shehryar Riaz and Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to hold public meetings.

Shehryar Riaz told Dawn that he had sought permission from the district administration for holding a public meeting in NA-56 on any suitable day, from February 4 to 6, but the district administration refused to grant permission due to security concerns.

In a letter, the administration stated that in view of the existing security threat spectrum, the backdrop of the law and order situation, and consequently, upon the recommendation of law enforcement agencies, police departments and the District Intelligence Committee, the application has been rejected.

Mr Riaz said permission was granted to all political parties. Even the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) held a Jalsa on Sunday, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is holding a gathering in Murree on Monday, but the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has been stopped from doing so.

On the other hand, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who is admitted to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC), is issuing video messages on social media against the PTI candidates while alleging the use of money in awarding party tickets by the PTI.

He also urged the people to vote for him instead of other political parties, including the PTI, for the last time in return for the development work he had done in his political career for Rawalpindi.

When contacted, PTI leader Shehryar Riaz said that he would not answer the senior citizen and old politician because he (Sheikh Rashid) was not in his state of mind nowadays.

He added that Sheikh Rashid’s allegations proved that he was seeing defeat in the garrison city from a PTI worker.

On the other hand, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed’s nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, told Dawn that the district administration did not allow them to hold a public meeting or gathering anywhere in the city on Feb 6, whereas Hanif Abbasi had been permitted to hold a gathering on Sixth Road.

To find your constituency and location of your polling booth, SMS your NIC number (no spaces) to 8300. Once you know your constituency, visit the ECP website here for candidates.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2024