Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) kept each other running in circles on the election day in various constituencies which were thronged by a large number of voters who had come out to contribute in shaping the country’s future.
The dark horse of these elections was indeed PTI which surprised all political circles by making a strong and passionate presence of its support in the city, emerging as a real electoral force in the province, led before by the PML-N and PPP as the main political forces.
According to survey conducted by the Pakistan Today, in NA-122, NA-125, NA-126, and NA-127 the turn-out of the PTI supporters at most polling stations as well on the roads and streets has almost eclipsed its counterpart PML-N.
Most political analysts believe that the huge turn-out on the part of PTI has the potential of turning tables on its rivals.
However, in NA-119, NA-120 and NA-121 the trend was in favour of PML-N with former ruling party’s supporters creating the impact.
Interestingly, the PPP, once an important political force in the city was reduced to a shadow of its past. There was hardly any PPP flag, banner or car bearing PPP flag or portraits of its leaders. It is also witnessed that in some constituencies in Lahore PPP’s old workers were lending their hands to PTI leaders and workers.
The Lahore was deserted on Saturday with all roads leading to the polling stations with political analysts surprised by the striking turn-out seen from dawn to dusk. Sometimes queues were big enough to manage inside the polling stations. There was huge activity being noticed also outside polling stations, revealing high turn-out of voters. Some elders even likened the turn-out with what they saw in 1970 elections when the PPP emerged as a political force in the country.
In urban areas the turn-out is on higher side, mostly committed to PTI.
The Election Commission saw the turn-out at exceeding 65 percent. But here in the city it was on higher side of 50 per cent. The turn-out was slow and low in the rural constituencies. It is also observed that most of the new voters were supportive of PTI while the old ones were mostly beholden to the PML-N.
The PTI supporters appeared highly charged and committed to see change taking place in the country. Most of them waited for hours to cast their votes but remained undeterred by the problems they faced at polling stations.
The trend in other big cities is almost same. The urban areas of Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Gujrawala also witnessed huge turn-out of PTI supporters, challenging the supremacy of the PML (N) in a big way.
One striking feature of the turn-out is this that most people came out on their own without the help of the political parties barred from providing logistics to the voters this time. Voters came out voluntarily on their own, highlighting their democratic credentials and commitment to their respective parties.
The whole day the parties’ camps outside the polling stations witnessed huge turn-out as well. Mostly, the people were attracted towards either PTI or PML-N’s camp.