Maryam Nawaz Voter Worries Over Inflation, Unemployment

APP
Lahore: The voters and supporters of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz in NA-119 have voiced apprehensions regarding the prevalent issues of inflation and unemployment within her constituency.
Maryam Nawaz, the Chief Organiser of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is making her electoral debut in NA-119. The constituency boasts a total population of nearly 916,517, with 520,829 registered voters, comprising 277,172 men and 243,657 women.
NA-119 encompasses 338 polling stations and 994 polling booths, serving major areas such as Singhpura, Bhagbanpura, Jamelabad, Daroghawala, Bund Road, China Scheme, among others. In this electoral race, a total of 19 candidates are vying for victory.
An interesting development unfolded as Aleem Khan of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party withdrew his candidacy in support of Maryam Nawaz. The other key contenders in the constituency include Iftikhar Shahid from the Pakistan People’s Party and Zulfiqar Ali from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
During interviews with the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), residents of NA-119 expressed their primary concerns, highlighting inflation and unemployment as significant issues. Ali Shahid, a Singhpura resident, pointed out major challenges in the constituency, including high inflation, the need for clean drinking water, encroachments, and the poor condition of roads.
Another resident from China Scheme said that current inflation in the country had made it difficult for common people to survive. Shahid Saqib from Bund Road said that every individual had their own political affiliation, and people would vote for candidates of their choice.
Most people from NA-119 said they would exercise their right to vote on February 8, but they also expressed apprehension that their problems would not be solved like in the past.
During the 2018 general election, the current NA-119 Lahore-III constituency was part of NA-127 Lahore-V, from where PML-N candidate Ali Pervaiz Malik secured 113,273 votes and stood victorious, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Jamshed Iqbal Cheema was his opponent, who had secured 66,861 votes. During the 2018 general election, a 51 percent turnout was witnessed in the constituency.