The party is preparing to expand its organizational and electoral presence in the provincial capital of Punjab
LAHORE:
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Lahore president Faisal Mir on Sunday announced that the party would hold a major public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on July 25 to mark President Asif Ali Zardari’s birthday, while also revealing plans to contest the upcoming local government elections in all union councils in Lahore.
Addressing a press conference at Gulzar House in Lahore, Mir said the party was preparing to expand its organizational and electoral presence in the provincial capital.
Flanked by former Senator Ammar Ahmed Khan, son of veteran PPP leader, former Senator Gulzar Ahmed Khan, he also welcomed Ammar Ahmed Khan and his family back into the PPP fold. Lahore PPP General Secretary Dr Ayesha Shaukat, Lahore Vice President Azain Gulzar and Sehar Gulzar, daughter of Senator Gulzar Ahmed Khan, were also present on the occasion.
Mir claimed that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would address the meeting scheduled for July 25 at Minar-e-Pakistan. When asked about restrictions on holding rallies at the venue, he said the party would proceed regardless of the obstacles, stating: “We will hold a rally no matter what.”
Attacking the ruling PML-N, Mir rejected its claims of having transformed Lahore into one of the most developed cities in the country, arguing that even the areas surrounding the Sharif family residences lacked basic civic facilities.
He further said that the PPP, through its growing popularity in Punjab, would create the political clout required by the party’s central leadership to challenge its main rival in the province.
Responding to a question about Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Mir sarcastically remarked that his party had stopped him from commenting on her, adding that development claims were based on mere “window dressing”.
He also said the PML-N was a political product of a military dictator and argued that its style of governance continued to reflect those origins.
