The battle for NA-127 in upcoming February 8 general elections is intensifying, with both Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) trading accusations of vote-buying and violence.
The PPP vehemently accuses Atta Tarar of the PML-N of engaging in the illicit practice of buying and selling votes within his office premises. They claim that a viral video circulating on social media provides damning evidence of money changing hands, particularly among women voters who are allegedly taking oaths while receiving money.
According to the PPP, a viral video circulating on social media purportedly shows money exchanging hands in Atta Tarar’s office, raising serious concerns about electoral integrity.
The PPP claims that the video provides clear evidence of vote-buying, particularly targeting women voters who are reportedly taking oaths while receiving money.
In a counter-move, Atta Tarar tweeted that PPP members were caught red-handed buying votes in NA-127. He claims they were administering oaths on religious texts to secure votes and accused Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of disrupting Lahore's peace. Tarar vowed to take legal action.
Adding to the tension, the office of PPP candidate Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman was reportedly attacked and vandalized. Senator Palwasha Khan, a PPP leader, condemned the incident, attributing it to PML-N's "panic" over Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's potential victory. He urged the Election Commission to take strict action against Tarar and accused PML-N of resorting to violence to win the elections.
Ms Khan demands strict action against Atta Tarar for orchestrating the attack, decrying what she perceives as PML-N's attempt to disrupt the electoral process through hooliganism and violence.
As the electoral battleground heats up, the fate of NA-127 hangs in the balance, overshadowed by accusations, legal threats, and a struggle for political dominance.
