LAHORE - Local leaders and activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) enthusiastically celebrated the decision of their party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to contest the upcoming elections from Lahore.
This marks Bilawal’s first electoral venture in Lahore, with his nomination papers scheduled for submission on Sunday (tomorrow).
In joyful gatherings across Gulberg and other parts of the city, PPP supporters distributed sweets to commemorate this significant event. Lahore’s PPP president, Aslam Gill, expressed optimism about Bilawal’s decision, stating that it would reinvigorate the party’s presence in the provincial metropolis. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is set to contest from NA-128, a constituency previously won by PML-N’s Sheikh Rohail Asghar in the 2018 elections. Accompanying Bilawal, former Lahore President Mian Misbahur Rehman is contesting from PP-169, and Hafiz Ghulam Mohayuddin is vying for victory in PP-170. These provincial constituencies fall within the larger NA-128 constituency.
NA-128, along with its associated provincial constituencies, is characterized by a significant presence of Kashmiri and Arain communities. Mian Misbah represents the Arain clan while Hafiz Ghulam Mohayuddin is a Kashmiri. Encompassing areas such as Model Town Tehsil, Gulberg, Lahore Cantonment, and Tehsil city areas, this constituency holds strategic importance. In what appears to be a continuation of a long-standing understanding, the PML-N is expected not to field a candidate against Bilawal Bhutto. This understanding established years ago reflects a mutual agreement between the two parties to abstain from contesting against each other’s leadership. The move underscores a cooperative spirit aimed at fostering amicable political relations.