LAHORE, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is set to hold another large public gathering in Lahore on Friday ahead of the October 11 by-elections at which its candidate Aleem Khan will face the former Speaker National Assembly and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
Today is the last day of election campaign; therefore, both the parties will intensify their efforts to grab the support of as many people as they could.
More than 1500 sound speakers have reportedly been set in PTI Jalsa venue whereas enough security arrangements have been made as well to avoid any untoward incident.
The PTI’s Aleem Khan enjoys the support of Jamaat Ahl-e-Sunnah, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Mashaikh Council and Sunni Ulema Council.
Talking to media, Aleem Khan claimed that he would achieve victory on Sunday.
On the other hand, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has support of a group of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led by Dr Safdar Abbasi, Jamiat-e-Ulema Pakistan Noorani (JUP), Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-FF), Naeemeen Association of Pakistan and other Ulemas of the constituency.
On Sunday besides Lahore’s NA-122 polls, the by-election will also take place for PP-147 where the PTI has placed Shoaib Siddique as its candidate while Mian Mohsin Latif for contest on the PML-N ticket.
The polling process will start at 09:00 am on Sunday under the strict supervision of Pakistan Army and Rangers alongside hundreds of police personnel and other law enforcement agencies in the constituency.
On the demand of the PTI, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decided to deploy Rangers in the by-elections. The ECP has also sent letters to Interior and Defence Secretaries, asking them to issue necessary directions for deployment of sufficient strength of Rangers personnel for the constituencies.
