Campaigns kick off

When people used to make fun of me, the people of Mianwali stood by me, said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, while kicking off his campaign in Mianwali.

So he does have a sense of loyalty to constituencies, if not old party workers.

The former prime minister (not the prime minister of hearts, but Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) also kicked off his elections campaign in home ground Murree where he was met with some protestors who were upset about some campaign promise or the other not having been fulfilled.

But that’s a common occurrence on the election trail, as Sikandar Hayat Bosan found out in Multan. The former Leaguer had jumped ship to the PTI recently and one suspects League supporters in Multan would have been a part of the protestors.

Meanwhile, the gloves are off between the League and Chaudhry Nisar as they former has decided to field candidates against the former interior minister. Nisar, however, is putting up a brave face. Won by 138,000 votes last time and will win by 172,000 votes this time, he said. Whereas his confidence is not without reason in Chakri, he might not be able to clinch Taxila, where the PTI’s Ghulam Sarwar is going to give him a tough time.

Speaking of the PTI, the party has finalised a list of 229 candidates for the national assembly’s 272 berths.

‘Pindi boy on bike’: Sheikh Rasheed also kicked off his election campaign in his traditional style: on a motorbike on the streets of the inner city. The self-described “downtown man” might have some swagger in him but that doesn’t change the fact that the League’s Hanif Abbasi is going to give him one hell of a tough-time, motorbike or not. Last time, Abbasi made Imran Khan himself run for his money.