LAHORE: As Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for the by-election in NA-120, Dr Yasmin Rashid, began her door-to-door campaign in the constituency vacated by the former prime minister on Saturday, she claims she met resistance and hooliganism by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers in the constituency.

While the PML-N is yet to formally announce its candidate for the polls in NA-120, Dr Rashid, joined by Azad Jammu and Kashmir MLA Ghulam Mohyuddin Dewan and other party workers, began her door-to-door campaign from Mozang. They were, allegedly, heckled by PML-N workers who shouted anti-PTI slogans.

Dr Rashid later filed a complaint about the alleged hooliganism with the deputy commissioner’s office. She stated in her complaint: “In Mozang, the PML-N ghundas harassed PTI women workers by shouting and sloganeering.” The PTI leader demanded action against the harassers and said that the Punjab government should provide security to PTI’s women workers involved with her election campaign. “The Punjab government will be responsible, if any untoward incident occurs during the election campaign,” she said.

Later, while addressing people in her constituency, Dr Rashid said the voters of NA-120 had had it with Nawaz Sharif, who had been disqualified for concealing his assets and lying to the nation. She said the voters of NA-120 had unanimously decried that fact that Mr Sharif had not returned to his constituency even once after being elected to the National Assembly. The Sharif family was only interested in amassing wealth, she claimed.

Dr Rashid also distributed pamphlets during her door-to-door campaign. She said the PTI had launched a full-throttle election campaign in NA-120, and challenged Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to contest the election against her. She also warned that the PTI would not let the PML-N get away with rigging the by-election.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2017