Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Sunday stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) move to boycott by-elections in the majority of constituencies was bound to carry political repercussions.
Talking to the media in Islamabad on Sunday, the minister expressed the confidence that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will secure a clear lead.
Tarar stated that election boycotts carried inevitable costs, emphasising there was no room for such decisions in democratic practice.
He noted that the strong voter turnout in the by-elections signalled public confidence in the government’s performance, adding that the PML-N appeared poised to secure a clear lead.
He noted that Sunday’s by-elections witnessed a robust voter turnout, with citizens from across social and economic divides stepping forward to exercise their democratic right.
In Lahore, unusually large crowds gathered at polling camps, while Dera Ghazi Khan reported a steady flow of voters throughout the day.
Elderly citizens, young people and women turned out in significant numbers, reflecting broad public participation in the electoral process, he said.
Tarar stated that the PML-N candidate enjoyed a strong position in Lahore, with party teams actively involved throughout the polling process.
He noted that voter turnout for the party has been highly encouraging across Lahore, Faisalabad, Sahiwal and Dera Ghazi Khan.
He observed that voters who had been staying away from politics returned to the polls, attributing their renewed participation to the government’s performance.
The minister highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership is earning recognition both at home and abroad, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has delivered notable achievements within the province.
He stated that Pakistan’s armed forces enjoyed global recognition for their capabilities, while the country’s economy had also drawn international appreciation.
Responding to a query on the Indian aircraft crash at the Dubai Airshow, the minister said investigations were underway and cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions.
He noted that at this stage it remained unclear whether the incident was the result of a technical fault or another cause.
