Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by the Sharif family, and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), led by Imran Khan, are preparing for a high-stakes provincial assembly election on 20 seats on Sunday (today). Political pundits have dubbed the election a “life and death” struggle for both of the major contenders, who essentially have their political futures in the province on the line.
To prevent any bloodshed, the army and law enforcement forces have been put on high alert, especially in five of the 20 constituencies—four in Lahore and one in Multan.The Sharif family, notably Hamza’s father, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, cannot afford it if the opposition PTI wins a majority of seats since it would limit Hamza Shehbaz’s ability to control outside of the Center.
The Sharifs are also aware that Parvez Elahi, the joint candidate of the PTI, PML, and Q for the highest post in the province, would be a nightmare for the PML-N in Punjab and would defeat their “citadel” in an alliance with Mr. Khan in the upcoming general elections. As a result, the ruling party would have been up all night on Saturday organising its troops and pleading with them to keep going until every voter left their home and made their way to the polls today.
More than just beating the Sharifs and Zardaris are at stake for the PTI in today’s by-elections. In light of suspected foreign interference in the country’s affairs, Imran Khan and his allies have portrayed the election as “a war between good (his party) and evil (the ruling coalitions in the Centre and Punjab)” and an issue of national sovereignty. In order to prevent any attempts by the PML-N to rig the election, the former premier has instructed his party’s Tiger Force to “stand watch” at all voting places.