PTI will win both Lahore constituencies by a wide margin: Chohan

LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chohan expressed optimism ahead of the by-elections, and said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will win two constituencies in Lahore with a wide margin.

Speaking to ARY News on Saturday, the minister said that Saad Rafique was the ‘mastermind of rigging’ and was completely surrounded and exposed in corruption cases.

“We are very confident of success in bypolls more than general elections,” he said, stating that the ruling party had an advantage in by-elections as people realise they have to run the state of affairs.

Secondly, he said the efforts by the government in the past two months has exposed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, including Saad Rafique, in several cases such as Paragon scandal.

He said the PTI government had brought several changes which including reducing the expenditures of the Chief Minister House from Rs5.5 million to Rs0.9 million per month which was an achievement by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

He claimed that the PTI will not only emerge victorious in Lahore but will win across the province by a wide margin. He said those who became billionaires through corruption will be held responsible.

In reply to a question, the provincial minister said that institutions brief the government regularly, and thus ministers are informed about the tightening noose around corrupt individuals.

By-elections will be held on two crucial constituencies, NA-124 and NA-131, in Lahore. NA-131 was won by PTI chairman Imran Khan in the general elections by a narrow margin against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Saad Rafique.

However, Imran Khan vacated the seat to retain from his hometown in Mianwali. Khawaja Saad will return as the PML-N candidate in the bypolls and will face Humayun Akhtar Khan of the PTI.

NA-124 was won by PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz by a wide margin. The bypolls will see former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi instead as the PML-N candidate.

The bypolls in 35 constituencies will be held across the country on Sunday October 14 and a tough contest is expected in several constituencies.