—Accuses Bilal Yasin and Mubashar Javaid of running election campaign for PML-N in NA-120
LAHORE: The candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from NA-120 by-poll Dr Yasmin Rashid, has filed a complaint in the office of Regional Election Commission Lahore against provincial Food Minister Bilal Yasin and Lahore Mayor Colonel (Retd) Mubashar Javaid, accusing both of initiating development projects, after the announcement of the election schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “The local Member Provincial Assembly (MPA), who is also the food minister has started development works in the constituency, while new tenders are being issued on the daily basis by the City District Government at the behest of the ruling party,” the application submitted to the Regional Election Commissioner Lahore and available with Pakistan Today reads.
The application further states that the mayor of the city, who also belongs to PML-N, is affixing supporting banners in favour of PML-N, which is quite illegal, unlawful and against the code of conduct issued by the ECP. The candidate of PTI sought strict proceedings by the ECP against the concerned persons under the Section 103-A of the Representation of People Act (ROPA) that ensures that no public office holder can give favour to any candidate and no development work can be initiated until the election procedure is completed in that concerned constituency.
The seat of NA-120 fell vacant after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court and the polling is scheduled to be held on September 17 in the constituency. Earlier, it was decided by the PML-N that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif would contest from NA-120 but now the plan is changed and the younger Sharif will now stay in Punjab according to reports. So far, both PML-N and PPP have not disclosed their candidates from the constituency, although these parties have started their political campaigns in the area.
NA-120 has been a stronghold of Sharif brothers for decades but a record number of votes by the runner-up candidate of PTI from the constituency (in the last elections of 2013) has raised alarm bells for the ruling PML-N and therefore MPAs have been given a task to ensure the victory of PML-N candidate in the constituency. Two provincial assembly seats PP-139 and PP-140 fall in NA-120 and both the elected MPAs from these provincial assembly constituencies Bilal Yasin and Majid Zahoor are busy in running the election campaign for the PML-N since the ECP issued the election schedule for the by-election. It is worth mentioning here that ECP has issued show-cause notices to PTI chief Imran Khan a couple of times for violating the code of conduct during the by-elections in Taxila and Chakwal in the recent past.
