ISLAMABAD: While supporters of the PTI seemed to be upset over the results in Islamabad as they were anticipating victory in all three National Assembly seats, unlike the tradition there were no victory parades or rallies even by the winners.

The PTI workers were less noticeable even on social media after the election results were announced. The PML-N supporters too refrained from expressing their joy over the victory.

A number of PTI workers forwarded Form 45 to media persons showing the PTI candidates had won in Islamabad.

The same trend was also witnessed in Rawalpindi where supporters of the PML-N and other parties have a habit of moving around in small groups with silencers of their motorcycles taken off.

“I do not know why we are not doing it this time; maybe because the authorities had told us that there were terror threats. But we were ready with filled tanks of our motorcycles,” said Raja Ahsan Abbasi, a PML-N worker and resident of Pindora in Rawalpindi.

There was negligible festive look on roads in the twin cities and none of the supporters of the winning PML-N candidates had distributed badges among their children or held gatherings on roads.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the PML-N in Rawalpindi said that the party leadership had decided to refrain from wasteful expenditures as it was time to focus on improving the economy.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024