ISLAMABAD:
Major political parties except for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have kicked off their preparations for the Punjab Local Government (LG) elections in September, according to sources.
The commission has yet to issue a date for the local polls in Punjab.
PPP
Following a critical situation in the party, Bilawal Bhutto has summoned PPP Punjab head Manzoor Wattoo to Bilawal House on Thursday (today).
Wattoo’s adviser on media Akram Shaheedi claimed (while talking to a private media outlet) that PPP Punjab President will brief Bilawal about the strategy for LG elections.
PML N
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave a go ahead to the strategy devised by MNA Hamza Shahbaz-led Punjab Public Affairs Unit (PPAU) to win the polls.
Hamza Shahbaz, Senator Saud Majeed and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan are the three key leaders who framed the strategy.
They have formed 36 committees for 36 districts of the province to recommend potential candidates for LG election.
PTI
PTI Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar launched their campaign for the elections on Wednesday. Speaking at a press conference, he said that the party had suffered ‘grouping’, especially in Lahore, but restructuring had united it.
“While our party has been divided into various groups, it is encouraging that after restructuring, all groups have come together under Shafqat Mahmood,” he said.
The party has established Local Government Candidate Selection Boards to award tickets for the elections.
The boards will be given two weeks, from July 15 to July 30, to decide which candidates the PTI will back.
PML Q
PML Q has appointed Raja Basharat as head of committee to strategise for the elections.
PML Q claims that it has support of the party and might win the majority in rural areas of Punjab.
PAT
Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s leader (PAT) Dr Tahirul Qadri’s adviser Noorullah Siddiqui said that their central committee headed by Raheeq Abbasi has formed district level committees for choosing candidates.
He said that PAT will fully participate in the upcoming LG elections and hinted that his party might make seat adjustment with other like-minded political parties as well.
