Punjab admin continues targeting PML-N opponents ahead of by-elections

Punjab police officials raided the election office of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Malik Nawaz Awan in Lahore’s PP-168 constituency on Tuesday night in violation of the Supreme Court orders.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) candidate in PP-217 Multan constituency, taking notice of his attempts to buy votes.

According to media reports, police raided the election office of PTI candidate Malik Nawaz Awan in Lahore’s PP-168 constituency just as the corner meeting was going on.

Talking to media, PTI candidate Malik Nawaz Awan said that the police arrested his security guard and seized his weapon. Police also arrested four PTI workers who resisted during the raid, he said.

“Police officials have instructed me to end the election campaign,” Malik Nawaz Awan added.

Malik Nawaz Awan said any action taken by the police was illegal, as the weapons in the possession of his guards were licensed.

He condemned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and said that the ruling party was afraid of the popularity of PTI and was using the state machinery against its political opponents.

Condemning the police attack, PTI leader Farrukh Habib said that the corner meeting was taking place inside the wedding hall where DSP Defense Circle raided. SHOs of various police stations were also present along with the raid team. We condemn this raid. He said that the ‘fake Chief Minister’ will be sent back in packing soon. The ruling party is now seeing its clear defeat so it is using negative tactics.

He asked the police officials to work as servants of the state instead of being personal employees of the Punjab government. PTI leader Farrukh Habib has said that Maryam Nawaz’s election campaign has failed and Punjab ministers have started resigning.

He said that the police raid was a clear violation of the orders of the Supreme Court (SC). He further said that all candidates should be given equal field in Punjab by-elections.

Umer Inam, the News360 correspondent, shared the video of the police raid on the PTI camp in PP-168 and wrote on Twitter, “Punjab police also attacked the corner meeting of PTI candidate Malik Nawaz Awan. Police spoke harshly to Nawaz Awan and his guards were arrested.

پی ٹی آئی امیدوار ملک نواز اعوان کی کارنر میٹنگ پر بھی پنجاب پولیس کا حملہ۔ نواز اعوان کے ساتھ تلخ کلامی اور انکے گارڈز کو گرفتار کر لیا گیا pic.twitter.com/g0P8Gbpvvk

— Umer Inam (@UmerInamPk) July 12, 2022

Analysts say the police raid on the PTI’s election office at the behest of the Punjab government is a clear violation of Supreme Court orders.

Analysts say the Supreme Court had given clear orders to the Punjab government that it would not use government machinery during the by-elections, but the police attack is a clear violation of the Supreme Court’s order. Action should be taken against those responsible. So that the opponents do not face any difficulty in their election campaign.

On the other hand, taking notice of the news of vote-buying by the PML-N candidate, District Monitoring Officer Haider Riaz directed the Assistant Commissioner and other members of the monitoring team to immediately investigate the reports that the PML-N nominee Candidate Salman Naeem is involved in trying to buy votes by offering a motorcycle for every 20 votes cast.

In a letter to the Assistant Commissioner and Monitoring Officer, DMO Riaz said, “It has come to my notice through social media that PML-N by-election candidate Salman Naeem is involved in corruption in PP-217 Multan VII constituency. There are. ”