LAHORE: The polling camps of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), outside many polling stations, wore a deserted look in the NA-120 by-polls on Sunday.
PPP polling camps outside polling stations in Cooper Road Government Girls College for Women and Paisa Akhbar District Government Girls High School were completely deserted where not even a single party worker was present. However, some workers were seen in polling stations of Mozang, Government Muslim High School, Ravi Road Government Higher Secondary School and others but no voter was seen gathering detail about his/her vote.
A disgruntled PPP worker Muhammad Afzal at Mozang polling station said, “Former President Asif Zardari has ruined the party and therefore no worker takes interest in the polls. After the death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the party has become heirless.”
A visit to the whole constituency earlier also revealed that PPP has neither set up campaign office nor contacted masses for votes in many areas. The banners, flexes and hoardings of the party’s candidate were also seen at very few places.
The PPP had fielded Faisal Mir as its candidate for NA-120 by-polls. He is also fighting a legal battle against acceptance of nomination papers of PML-N candidate Kulsoom Nawaz, as the Supreme Court has admitted for hearing a petition against a Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to dismiss applications challenging the candidature of Kulsoom.
The SC will hear the petition on September 18.
Mir had said before the court that the PML-N candidate had failed to submit full details of her tax returns along with statements of assets and liabilities, and purposely concealed her assets besides failing to attach a United Arab Emirates (UAE) Iqama (work permit) with her nomination papers. He has requested the court to declare her ineligible to participate in the by-election under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.
The NA-120 seat had fallen vacant after Nawaz Nawaz was disqualified under Article 62 of the Constitution in the Panamagate case as MNA by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
