Kulsoom Nawaz will win clear majority in NA-120, says Maryam

LAHORE: Begum Kulsoom Nawaz will win a clear majority in the upcoming NA-120 by-elections, said daughter Maryam Nawaz on Monday.

While addressing the female workers of PML-N during a meeting in Lahore's Model Town, Maryam instructed the campaign for NA-120 to be expedited and also told the participants that Kulsoom Nawaz will be among them soon.

Maryam, is running the campaign while her mother and PML-N candidate for the by-poll, Kulsoom Nawaz, undergoes treatment for lymphoma in London

Kulsoom Nawaz was diagnosed with throat cancer after she reached London for a medical check-up. She had left the country on the day her nomination papers for the by-election were to be scrutinised by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

After a successful surgery for lymphoma, Kulsoom Nawaz is recovering and staying at her son’s home in London.

PTI warns of protest

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee Yasmin Rashid warned of a protest against the Punjab government, if the police did not register an FIR for Sunday's firing incident on an election camp in Lahore.

Rashid continued campaigning on the third day of Eid and went door to door in the constituency to convince voters to cast their ballots in favour of her party. She was accompanied by several PTI leaders.

Speaking to the media, she asked Rana Sanaullah to clearly state whether his party was in the mood to confront or control the "goons" who opened fire on the PTI camp.

The PTI nominee also asked Maryam Nawaz not to portray her father Nawaz Sharif as innocent and instead hold a dialogue with her.

She also vowed to approach the ECP over the massive coverage of PML-N’s election campaign by state TV.

Earlier, Rashid said the party has various options, including holding a sit-in, if its concerns over NA-120 by-poll are not addressed.

Rashid had demanded the ECP to take notice of the violation of the code of conduct by the ruling party.

She had said that the party had registered its concerns with the ECP on issues such as pre-poll rigging and the polling scheme.

The seat of NA-120 fell vacant after Nawaz was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Leaks case on July 28 on charges of concealing his salary from a Dubai-based company that he claims he never received.

A total of 44 candidates will contest the NA-120 by-poll. The Election Commission of Pakistan will establish 220 polling stations and 573 polling booths where the constituency’s 321,786 registered voters can cast their vote.