Yasmin Rashid likely to contest NA-120 by-election, say PTI workers

—Lahore’s PTI celebrates Supreme Court’s unanimous decision

LAHORE: The provincial metropolitan remained the hub of political activities on Friday as the five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court disqualified the prime minister in the Panama Case. Hundreds of workers hailing from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held rallies in jubilation to celebrate the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.

According to the details, PTI arranged a big TV screen at the Chairman Secretariat in Lahore to watch the final verdict.

The secretariat remained flooded with the workers and leaders of PTI throughout the day for the celebration. Soon after the verdict came from the Supreme Court, sweets were distributed at the Chairman Secretariat; PTI workers started dancing on drum beats and chanted the slogan of ‘Muk geya tera show Nawaz, Go Nawaz Go Nawaz’ (The game is over for Nawaz, Go Nawaz Go Nawaz).

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Assembly Member Dr Murad Ras said that the process of real change has started in the country and no one would dare to plunder the public money in the future after the landmark judgment of the apex court. MPAs Dr Nausheed Hamid, Shunila Ruth and a large number of workers of Insaf Student Federation (ISF) were also present to celebrate the verdict at the Chairman Secretariat. Furthermore, celebration rallies of PTI were arranged at Lalak Chowk, Johar Town, Raiwind, Ferozpur Road and Youhanabad.

Talking to Pakistan Today, Chairman of Union Council Younhanabad (UC-246) Asif Sohail Khokhar, said that the foundation of a ‘New Pakistan’ has been laid down today and the credit for this positive change goes to Imran Khan. “We arranged a celebration rally today in Youhanabad that also comes in the constituency of Shahbaz Sharif and we are also going to Islamabad on Sunday on the call Imran Khan to celebrate our victory vehemently,” he said.

Moreover, celebrations were also arranged in NA-120, the political constituency of the disqualified Nawaz Sharif, from where he has been contesting since long and got elected as National Assembly member from the same constituency in the general elections of 2013. “The chance of winning the by-election from NA-120 has completely been finished for the PML-N as this constituency has now become a strong citadel of the PTI,” Ali Naveed Bhatti, the candidate for the Chairman of Union Council (UC-65) from PTI said, while talking to Pakistan Today. According to my information, Dr Yasmin Rashid will be the candidate of PTI in the by-elections from this constituency, Bhatti added, who hails from the same constituency. He was of the view that Dr Yasmin has worked a lot in this constituency as she went door to door during her electoral campaign in 2013 and it would be better for PTI to pitch her again in the by-election.

It is worth mentioning here that Dr Yasmin was runner-up from this constituency but she managed to score over 50,000 votes in 2013 against Nawaz Sharif. It is being reported that Punjab Chief Minster Shehbaz Sharif may be fielded in the by-election of NA-120 by the PML-N as his name is being circulated for the slot of next PM.