LAHORE: Though local government election process in 42 cantonments of the country starts with the issuance of nomination forms from Tuesday (today), political parties are yet to formalize their strategies for the electoral bout.
The political parties are cautious in the electioneering perhaps because of control of army on cantonments, while the start of the process at once on the directive of the Supreme Court has also taken them aback.
Notwithstanding the ruling PML-N has formed a committee under the chair of MNA Hamza Shahbaz for beginning `covert’ efforts to launch its nominees for the non-party polls. However, intra-party grouping in some union councils is hampering these efforts.
In Lahore, CM’s advisor Khwaja Salman Rafiq has been assigned the task to reconcile the groups in three UCs.
The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf has a strong presence in posh localities of all major towns, including cantonments. But, like in the May 2013 general election, it is going through the trouble of intra-party polls at a time when process for the local government polls has been set in.
This intra-party poll exercise, PTI leaders fear, is likely to cause fissures in the party at a time when it needs unity. It is yet to announce a committee for looking after the cantonment elections.
A party source revealed that due to paucity of time it is expected that the lists prepared by towns/tehsils for a similar purpose a couple of years ago would be adopted after minor adjustments.
Pakistan Awami Tehreek chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri has formed a nine-member committee headed by PAT president Dr Raheeq Abbasi for contesting the elections.
The committee will not only finalise the nominees but also decide alliances, minus PML-N, in each cantonment as may be required. It has written to all provincial presidents and secretaries seeking their recommendations for the aspiring candidates by March 27. A four-member body will visit each cantonment to form its candidates’ panel.
Dr Qadri has instructed that like-minded parties must be contacted for fielding unanimous candidates.
His spokesperson Nurullah Siddiqui says it may form an Awami Group provided the election rules and election atmosphere allowed such a policy.
Ameerul Azeem, chief of the Punjab political committee of the Jamaat-i-Islami, says his party will make a solo flight in the elections but district bodies will be allowed to make local adjustments without any negative list.
He doesn’t seem upbeat about the electoral exercise perhaps because the JI lacks candidates in cantonment areas. “We’ve two to three aspirants in Okara and as many in Kharian. Most of our candidates will be in Lahore.”
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