The war for votes between PML-N and PPP in Lahore’s NA-133, where a by-election is due on December 5, has gone beyond the constituency to social media, where a viral video appears to show voters being bribed by party members.
Both parties have blamed each other’s workers for the alleged move.
PML-N’s Muhammad Arif registered a complaint with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stating that the PPP is “buying off votes in the constituency”.
Arif alleged that the PPP is taking oath from the “bought” voters and distributing Rs2,000 per person.
PML-N’s Ali Pervaiz Malik also appeared on video to speak about the matter. He said he condemns the move and hopes that PPP will take notice of such ongoings and put a stop to them immediately.
“This fake video, in which all the characters are masked, this attempt to launch a campaign (against PML-N), has been rejected by the people of Lahore,” he said.
He said in the 2018 election, Malik Pervaiz won with 90,000 votes and the “tactics” being employed by PPP come from a party who “did not even secure a tenth of the votes of PML-N’.
