LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party has alleged that the officialdom is obstructing the party’s local government electioneering in an attempt to create bad blood between the ruling coalition partners – the PPP and the PML-N.

Flanked by Majeed Ghauri and Advocate Shahid Abbas, PPP leader Faisal Mir told a press conference here on Thursday that the bureaucracy was allegedly attempting to undo the ruling alliance to create political instability in the country as the traffic police are “forcibly removing” publicity material of the PPP displayed on vehicles.

Terming the traffic police action uncalled for, Mir said they did not displayed the publicity material on any government office, but on the PPP’s own property.

Mir alleged that Mr Ghauri was called by the DC office and was told to stop the PPP’s ongoing membership drive in the city, while the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has sent a notice worth Rs874,000 to the PPP Lahore office for conducting political activities in a building in Johar Town, where the party has set up its office for coordinating local government activities in the provincial metropolis.

He said that the PPP is currently an ally of the PML-N, while the bureaucracy is conspiring against the Punjab government through actions against an allied party. He demanded a probe into the actions of the Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) and the chief traffic officer (CTO), as well as of the LDA for obstructing the PPP’s political activities. He wondered that the PML-N offices in various parts of Lahore are not being served any notices.

“The malice of the CTO and LDA is evident from the fact that they have not imposed any fines or sent notices to 80-H Model Town, the PML-N’s central secretariat.

“If this campaign is not stopped within 24 hours, we will surround the offices of commissioner, deputy commissioner and CTO,” he warned.

Advocate Shahid, who is also president of the People’s Lawyers Forum, Lahore Division, says that under Article 16, anyone could hoist party flag and banners on one’s office, house or vehicle. He warned that legal action would also be taken against the government employees involved in “political vendetta”.

Meanwhile, an LDA official claims the notice was served on the PPP office because the plot concerned was being illegally used for “commercial activities”, without meeting legal requirements.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2025