LAHORE: The All-Pakistan Anjuman Tajiran (APAT) has announced support to the PML-N in the July 17 by-polls on 20 seats of the Punjab Assembly.

APAT secretary-general Naeem Mir along with other trader leaders told a press conference here on Wednesday that they could not forget [ill effects of the] over three-year performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in which the trading community was taken as a foe by the PTI leaders.

Claiming that restoration of the economy and prosperity of traders were associated with the PML-N government, he said they would fully support the N-League’s candidates in the by-polls in Punjab.

He said PML-N like-minded traders were already running election campaigns of the PML-N’s aspirants and others would join now.

He said social media and publicity campaigns of these candidates would also be run, while their corner meetings would also be organised.

Mr Mir said the traders would also perform their duties at the polling day election camps and would also make efforts to bring voters from their homes to polling stations as well as serving as polling agents.

He said they had taken the decision because Punjab could ill-afford another Buzdar term in power.

The trader leader criticised former prime minister Imran Khan for what he said, misleading the nation and wasting its time on the corruption narrative and now attempting to build a narrative of freedom from foreign interference in the internal affairs of the country.

Those present at the presser included Suhail Mahmood Butt, Saifur Rehman, Shahid Nazeer, Mian Khalil Umair, Rizwan Butt, Malik Naeem, Zulfiqar Bhatti, Mian Riaz, Ashfaq Butt and others.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2022