ISLAMABAD: Defeat to Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) in Cantonment Board Elections is likely to become indigestable for the ruling party as prime minister, Imran Khan, has sought report from the party office -bearers of Punjab to explain as to what caused defeat to his party in these crucial Elections held on September 12, 2021.
PTI had worsely performed in Cantonment Board Elections in Punjab. Although , the ruling party performed better in Sindh, KPK and to some extent in Balochistan to edge out other parties to secure leading position with 63 seats in overall result of the entire country, but losing in Punjab and that too to Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) is like a big shock to the prime minister who is also chairman of the party .
PTI could win only 28 seats in Punjab against 53 seats of PMLN. These statistics are self- explanatory and more than enough for the prime minister to think what actual level of public popularity of his party was.
Defeat of PTI in cantonment Board Elections has many questions for none, but Imran khan who might have been told by his provincial party office bearers that PTI was going to get huge win in the Punjab Cantonment Board Elections and it could be natural. The party second tier leadership is supposed to give a rosy picture to the top leadership on such occasions. The PTI Punjab might have not expected such a transparent, fair and free elections of the Cantonment Board. Secondly, they might have Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir elections in mind wherein PTI was gifted electables in required number to make desired governments there and at the same time help the PTi get a status of the most popular party in the country.
With only one real show of ‘popularity’ PTI has gone down to the knee by losing in Cantonment Board Elections in Punjab. These elections have given new political life to PMLN. The results of the Cantonment Board Elections have established that even after grilling of more than four years in a row, PMLN was not only intact in Pakistan’s largest province, but also a real political power which has footing in the people at gross root level. It also established that PTI lacks proper organusation in Punjab and for the same it lost to PMLN in the last Cantinment Elections. After defeat in these elections , the PTI top leadership will have a clear idea that party office bearers were popular in TV shows only. These elections also confirmed that Imran Khqn’s Wasim Akram was expert in making money through transfers/ postings of bureaurocrats.
Keeping in view the working style of the prime minister, one can say for sure that many office bearers of PTI like Chaudhary Ejaz may lose jobs over losing in Punjab in Cantonment Board Elections.