- Yasmin Rashid says not contesting election against Kulsoom Nawaz but the state
NA-120 candidates, belonging to opposition parties, are perturbed over massive uplift schemes in the constituency initiated by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) days before the by-poll.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate, Faisal Mir, blamed that the PML-N has started record development projects in the constituency to woo voters in favour of its candidate Kulsoom Nawaz. “Even the road near the Election Commission is being renovated. But the Election Commission is silent,” he pointed out, while talking to Pakistan Today.
He alleged that the government has created 10,000 jobs in NA-120 in a short period of time. “Development projects in every street are being carried out,” he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Dr Yasmin Rashid also believes that the development projects in NA-120 are aimed to bribe voters.
She termed massive uplift schemes as pre-poll rigging and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notices of the situation.
“I am fighting election not against Kulsoom Nawaz but against the federal and Punjab government since both have started uplift schemes worth billions of rupees.”
She alleged that Rs 30 billion have been released for NA-120 and the government has offered jobs to 5,000 people of the constituency.
“Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin, Commerce Minister Pervez Malik and Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Majid Zahoor are monitoring the uplift schemes in NA-120,” she said.
“I have moved the ECP and concerned returning officer but to no avail,” she said.
“Lahore PML-N President Pervaiz Malik came in the constituency and met people soon after taking charge as the minister. When I raised an objection, he said he had come on the invitation of people who wanted to greet him on taking charge as the minister,” she said.
On the other hand, Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin rejected allegations leveled against him by the rival candidates.
“My house is located in one Union Council of the NA-120, while my office is located in the other Union Council of the constituency. Should I not move from my home to my office?” he asked.
He alleged that Dr Yasmin has developed certain resentment against him that is why she mentions his name in every presser.
He said that two notices have been served to him, one by Dr Yasmin Rashid and the other by the PTI leadership, for running Kulsoom Nawaz’s campaign.
“My lawyers are set to file a reply in this regard,” he added.
Hafiz Nauman, the covering candidate of Kulsoom Nawaz, termed allegation of starting uplift projects as mere accusations of depressed candidates.
“No new uplift scheme has been initiated. Only those uplift schemes are being completed which were initiated before the seat fell vacant. The depressed candidates have seen that people only want Sharif brothers in the constituency and no one else. So they have started baseless propaganda against them. ”
The NA-120 by-elections are scheduled to be held on September 17.
The seat was left vacant following Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification from public office. The ECP de-notified Nawaz on July 28 as a member of the National Assembly.