Acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar on Wednesday banned election campaign for bye-election in the National Assembly constituency NA-127 Lahore-10 from the midnight of February 25 (Friday). A notification of Election Commission issued here said that electioneering has been banned under election laws, which prohibit political activities 48 hours prior to the Election Day. The By-poll in the Lahore's NA constituency is scheduled to be held on Sunday (February 27).
All contesting candidates and political parties have been asked to follow the provision of law and exercise self restraint.
Justice Dogar has reiterated that fair and free bye-poll would be held in an orderly, transparent and peaceful manner.
NA seat was vacated due to resignation of Professor Dr Tahirul Qadri, Chief of Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) in November 2004.
The constituency has around 236,000 votes in slums and backward localities of the Punjab metropolitan city, including Township, Green Town, Kot Lakhpat, Liaquatabad, Bihar Colony, Maryam Colony, Sitara Colony, Qainchi Amar Sadhu, Pindi Rajputan, Bagarian, Keer Kalan, Gawala Colony, Gujjar Colony, Dheet and Rakh Chand Rai.
A good majority of electorates belong to the rural areas who have migrated to the city.
Arain, Jat, Gujjar, Sheikh, Joiya and Bhatti castes dominate the constituency.
Ruling PML has fielded district Naib Nazim Farooq Amjad Mir, while Advocate Naseer Ahmad Bhutta is the nominee of the opposition PML-N.
PML Senator Kamil Ali Agha along with the Punjab information minister and a big name in land business, Abdul Aleem Khan, Mian Amer, MPA Anjum Amjad and town Nazim Rafiq Hasrat, other ministers, Mian Fazle Haq, Arshad Imran Sulehri, Anwar Toor, Nasrullah Mughal
And Asif Jat are leading electioneering of the nominee of ruling PML.
To give a boost to the nominee of the ruling PML, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and other party leaders also addressed public meetings.
Naseer Bhutta, who had stood third in this constituency against ex-MNA Dr Tahirul Qadri in the October 2002's general elections, is joint candidate of the opposition PML-N, the PPP and the MMA in bye-election.
MMA MPA from PP-152 Ehsanullah Waqas is especially working hard for him. Out of 105 councillors from the area's 13 union councils, about 65 had succeeded with the backing of the PPP and supporting joint opposition nominee.
MNAs Pervaiz Malik, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as well as MPAs from other city constituencies and other opposition leaders have devoted time for Bhutta.
Former Punjab Governor and ex-federal minister Barrister Khwaja Ahmad Tariq Rahim and other PPP leaders have sent banners and posters carrying portraits of Naseer Bhutta with Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
PPP secretary-general Jehangir Badar also canvassed for him.
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