LAHORE (Online): A survey conducted by an election observer group in NA-133(Lahore) has revealed massive vote buying by the contesting parties. The major reason behind voter’s compromising their free will is found to be inflation.
According to the preliminary findings of the study launched by Pattan Development Organization (PATTAN)in the low income areas of NA-133 to assess the free will of voters, the candidates of two major political parties contesting on the National Assembly seat falling vacant due to death of PML-N member, have been reported of paying registered voters willing to take oath on holy books between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000.
A PATTAN press release said some participants of the study even confessed receiving Rs. 3,000 while others carts and ration. Some participants of a minority community reported they were asked to return the money when they refused to take oath on their holy book.
Most respondents of the PATTAN study attributed Covid pandemic and price-hike to widespread vote-buying. The survey found Pakistan People’s Party was far more active in votebuying than the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz.
Since Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate was not in the race, some of PTI office bearers were their party voters to receive money from other parties. A former PTI activist from Akbar Shaheed Chaok area told the survey team that PPP had promised her ticket against women quota seat for mobilizing women in favor of PPP candidate on the polling day.
In response to the PATTAN’s probing why the Pakistan People’s Party was blatantly involvedin such a large- scale vote-buying, most people said the party wanted to improve its vote-bank in Lahore to impact results in next general elections.
It is worth noting here that most election observer groups mainly focus on fairness of election but PATTAN insists that an election suppressing voter’s free will can neither be free nor fair.
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