LG polls: PTI decides to launch PM-led mass contact drive

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to launch a mass contact campaign across the country to mobilize the party at grassroots level ahead of local government elections in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh, ARY News reported on Monday.

The decision to this effect was taken in PTI’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) held in Islamabad with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

The prime minister has directed party representatives to prepare a schedule for public rallies in different parts of the country as the premier would himself lead the mass contact campaign.

PTI is the most popular party in the country and people have no better option other than PTI to vote for, he told party leaders.

The meeting discussed criteria for issuance of tickets for local government elections in Punjab, KP and Islamabad. The CEC also discussed the second phase of LG polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Sources told ARY News that the prime minister also briefed the participants of the meeting on his recent visit to China.

The Election Commission of Pakistan had already announced the schedule of second phase of local body elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 18 districts.

According to ECP, the second phase of elections would be held in 18 districts on March 27, 2022. The nomination papers could be submitted with the election body between 7-11 February.

On Feb 2, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had suspended a notification for holding the second phase of local government elections in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and directed the authorities to hold it after the holy month of Ramazan.

The Abbottabad bench of the PHC in its 11-page verdict written by Justice Shakil Ahmed directed to cancel local government elections in the province in March 2022 citing that snowfall in mountainous areas will make it difficult to hold the polls.