LAHORE  -   In the lead-up to the upcoming general elections, the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is contesting a National Assembly seat from Lahore (NA-127), strategically targets the minority vote, considering it a potentially decisive factor in the election outcome.

Bilawal has taken an early initiative compared to other candidates in launching his election campaign in Lahore, a key battleground for main political parties. During the past week, he actively engaged in addressing corner meetings, particularly in Christian localities such as Kot Lakhpat, PECO Road, Green Town, and other areas where the minority vote holds significant sway. He has had meetings with Pastors, Bishops and other community leaders during his election campaign.

Bilawal arrived in the provincial capital again on Wednesday and addressed an election rally on Ferozpur Road, where he outlined promises, including the commitment to double salaries for workers and government employees. The PPP chairman faces Ata Tarar from PML-N and Ejaz Chaudhry from PTI as primary contenders in NA-127. Last week he also challenged the PML-N leadership saying that Lahore belonged to the PPP. 

Historically, the PML-N had been the dominant recipient of minority votes in this constituency until the 2018 general elections. However, a discernible shift in voter allegiance was observed during the bye-elections, favoring the PPP due to growing discontent among local Christian leaders with the PML-N leadership. As the 2024 elections approach, a majority of Christian voters are now leaning towards supporting PPP candidate Bilawal Bhutto.

The last bye-election in this constituency saw PPP candidate Aslim Gill securing over 33,000 votes, with Shaista Pervaiz Malik of PML-N securing around 46,000 votes. Gill estimates that more than 70 percent of the votes he garnered in the last elections came from the Christian community. According to Khalil Tahir Sindhu, a minority leader and former MPA from Punjab, NA-127 has approximately 70,000 registered votes of the Christian population.

One of the key reasons behind this shift is the dissatisfaction among Christian leaders with the PML-N leadership, specifically concerning the alleged unfair distribution of party tickets for reserved seats for minorities. A Christian leader who sought anonymity shared with The Nation that Christians had no representation in the PML-N’s parliamentary board responsible for interviewing candidates for reserved and general seats. Their lone representative, Rahila Khadim Hussain, a former member of the Provincial Assembly, faced objections from the Christian community. This departure from tradition, where the president or general secretary of any wing was part of the board, led to discontent among Christians, he maintained. The minority leader emphasized the need for decision-making to be inclusive of minorities, especially given their substantial presence among Pakistan’s minority communities.

This sentiment was echoed by another minority leader from the Christian community, who highlighted the difficulty in uniting disgruntled colleagues who were not selected for specific seats in the provincial or national assembly. The dissatisfaction stems from concerns about inadequate representation and an apparent lack of understanding of the unique challenges faced by the Christian community.

As the election season unfolds, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s outreach to the minority community and his positioning as a candidate responsive to their concerns could play a pivotal role in securing their votes and determining the outcome in NA- 127. The evolving dynamics in this constituency underscore the significance of minority votes and the impact of community sentiments on electoral preferences.