People will vote for real change not hollow slogans: Saad Rafique

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Sunday said the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will win the NA-122 by-election since people of Lahore evaluate the performance and character of candidates and vote for real change, not for hollow slogans.

Addressing a public gathering in Samanabad’s National Bank Colony, the minister said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s politics of road-show had damaged the country’s economy.

He said Khan had raised allegations of rigging in the 2013 general elections, but the findings of the judicial commission ruled out those allegations.

Rafique said Khan was trying to pressure the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), adding that the purpose of the Prime Minister’s Kissan Package, suspended by the ECP, was to resolve issues of farmers and develop the agriculture sector by enhancing exports.

He said the PML-N leadership had faced jails and cases and they always stood by the people as the masses loved and supported them, but Khan had never made any contribution towards democracy.

The minister said the PTI chief wanted to derail democracy and the system but the people of the country rejected his politics of protests and sit-ins.

About steps taken against terrorism, Rafique said the government with the support of the Army had achieved remarkable successes in the operation against terrorism, adding that the government was also working day and night to eliminate corruption and other social evils. The PML-N government had also initiated an operation in Karachi against target killers, extortionists and criminals after consultation with all political parties to ensure peace and law and order.

He said Pakistan’s future was bright in the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. “The government is determined to make further developments in infrastructure as well as health and education sectors,” he added.

The minister said that people only voted on the basis of performance, therefore, the PTI should perform and take steps for development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and fulfil its promises of change made during the campaign of general elections 2013.

Rafique said Khan would not get anything from Lahore as ‘politics of lies and allegations’ could not stop the PML-N.  “When lions wake up, jackals are on the run,” remarked the minister.

Speaking at the rally, PML-N election candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that election could only be won through performance not with wealth. He said PTI’s defeat in Haripur election proved that the people had rejected the politics of Imran Khan.

He further said that Khan feared his party would again be defeated in the 2018 elections because the PML-N government had shown outstanding performance by taking practical measures, starting energy projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and increasing the foreign reserves.

Addressing the rally, PML-N leader Marvi Memon also criticized the PTI, saying, “Those raising slogans of change have failed to bring the same in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP). Look at Peshawar. What will they bring here?” she questioned. Waqas Akram, Talal Chaudhry and other PML-N leaders also addressed the rally.