LAHORE: A score of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) union councilors from NA-120 are angry with party leadership, as the residents of the constituency are still craving for basic civic amenities like water and proper sewerage system, a situation that may affect the result of by-poll elections, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Many councilors also have blamed that they were not given their share of funds for the election campaign.
Their reservations are coming at the time when election campaign for the by-poll has entered into final days, as it is scheduled for September 17.
Regarding the preparations for the upcoming by-poll, Pakistan Today approached a number of councilors of ruling PML-N of different union councils, which fall under the NA-120 constituency and tried to get their view point. During the exchange of conversations, almost all the councilors were angry with their party for not fulfilling the promises made at the time of 2013 General Elections.
Most of the councilors had the same complaint regarding water scarcity and sewerage issues, and said that party big wigs remained reluctant to resolve despite their repeated reminders. They added that party leadership only contacted them when the party needed their votes during elections or for political rallies or demonstrations.
“Water scarcity was a big and a long standing issue of the constituency. PML-N local leadership was fully aware of the issue which they promised to fix. Despite passing of many years, we are facing water scarcity which is worsening in the summer,” a diehard supporter and councilor of PML-N Zubair Amir said while talking to Pakistan Today.
He said that beside water scarcity, the sanitation and sewerage condition in his union council had been outdated which needed to be replaced. “I repeatedly have identified these basic amenities before party big wigs but they just gave assurance and never resolved the issues,” he said, adding: “Due to such prevailing issues, I feel embarrassed when I go to the people of my area.”
Many councilors have expressed their reservations before the coordinators appointed in every union council of NA-120 by the ousted premier’s daughter Maryam Nawaz.
Party sources reveal that many councilors have denied displaying party banners and flexes at their offices or in the area.
Another councilor of PML-N seeking anonymity told Pakistan Today that he had told the party leadership that he was unable to face the residents of his area for not being able to resolve their issues. “My people either remained deprived of drinking water or they were forced to drink contaminated water for more than a decade and now party leadership still expects our warm participation in the campaign. It is impossible to go to the public to convince them for vote,” said the angry councilor.
He also informed that the party has allocated funds of rupees six million for each union council to meet campaigning expenses but he was not given a single penny.
Councilor Naveed Anwer while talking to Pakistan Today said that he had told the party leadership not to ask him to take part in the election campaign. He informed that during the General Elections of 2013, MPA Majid Zahoor promised, while sitting in a mosque, to resolve the issue of water scarcity of the constituency but despite the passing of four years, he remained reluctant to fulfill his promise. He said that party coordinators are now demanding to display party banners and to contact people for vote.
“I had only one demand from party: to install a tube-well in my area which was a quite minor issue but I am surprised why party leadership did not pay attention toward this demand,” he said, adding that he will not go to the public until the water issue is resolved.