NA-127 remains PML-N stronghold despite Maryam’s ouster

• PML-N doubles biryani dose for voters, supporters in NA-127
• Worst load-shedding during Zardari-era still haunts voters
• PTI alleges pre-poll rigging in the constituency

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) continues to have a stronghold on the NA-127 constituency despite disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz.

Following this, PML-N leader Pervaiz Malik’s son Ali Pervaiz Malik opted to be the covering candidate and has been allocated the ‘lion’ as the electoral symbol by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

He is the son of PML-N Lahore president and a candidate from Lahore’s NA-133 constituency, Pervaiz Malik.

Pervaiz Malik is also contesting from Lahore’s NA-133 constituency for the upcoming polls. In 2013 elections, he had won with a margin of over 95,000 votes to accommodate Maryam who was not willing to contest from her family constituency of NA-125.

Moreover, as the total number of candidates contesting from the constituency adds up to nine, it has been revealed that PML-N continues to have a stronghold in the NA-127 as the party workers’ remain ‘loyal’.

According to a survey conducted by Pakistan Today in various locations, it concluded that the party has added an incentive for the voters to woo them in on the Election Day.

This scribe visited the main campaign offices of major parties including PTI and PML-N near University of Engineering and Technology (UET).  Moreover, during an interaction with the people, it further suggested that the PML-N supporters are likely to vote for them no matter what the circumstances are.

Ahmed Ali, 30, a resident of China Scheme said, “Nawaz Sharif has done a great job for the country. There was 18-hour load-shedding during the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) tenure. However, there is no load shedding now. The credit goes to Nawaz Sharif for this.”

Another PML-N supporter, Mian Azhar, 60, who runs a shop in Anarkali is hopeful of PML-N’s victory in the area. He said, “The PML-N leaders have always been very close to people of this area.”

“Pervaiz Malik was always available to dwellers of this constituency to solve their problems,” he added.

“The authorities all set to discredit Nawaz Sharif, but all of this is just some drama,” Mian Azhar said.

In addition to this, the 70-year-old Ramzan Khan said Nawaz Sharif lives in his heart since decades and no one should be allowed to harm him.

“I will go to welcome Nawaz Sharif on his arrival at Lahore Airport. No power on earth can stop me,” he said.

On the contrary, PTI candidate Jamshed Iqbal Cheema’s brother in his campaign office was sure his victory.

“It would have been a good competition between PTI and PML-N had Maryam contested from this constituency,” he said.

However, he was quick to add a comment about the pre-poll rigging allegations saying, “The PML-N is still calling the shots.”

He continued to add that female health workers appointed by Khawaja Imran Nazir were directed to go home and ‘campaign against us’.

“The PML-N goons and supporters in the city are tearing our posters, banners and other publicity materials on the roads.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has fielded Jamshed Iqbal Cheema to contest from the constituency, while others who are running in the race include, Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Chaudhry Adnan Sarwar, All Pakistan Muslim League’s (APML) Chaudhry Muhammad Alyas, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s (TLP) Muhammad Zaheer and Muhammad Ahmed as an independent candidate.

The NA-127 comprises of 26 union councils and the areas in the constituency include Baghbanpura, Kot Khawaja Saeed, China Scheme, Mahmood Booti, UET, Mujahidabad, Ganj Mughalpura, Darsbaray Mian, Pakistan Mint, Singhpura, Jameelahabad, Railway Power House, Baja Line and Nishtar Park.