After the landslide victory of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and humiliating defeat of Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) in make-or-break Punjab by-elections, on Monday a review report about by-polls has been presented before the party leadership.
A meeting of the PML-N top brass was held which was headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Which Hamza Shahbaz, Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif, Maryam Aurangzeb, Azam Nazir Tarar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Malik Ahmad Khan, Attaullah Tarar, Sardar Owais Leghari, Rana Mashhood and others participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, the party’s defeat in the by-elections and the post-by-polls strategies were discussed. Sources privy to the matter said that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah submitted a report on the party’s defeat in the by-elections while a separate analysis was presented in the party report.
The report stated that the PML-N workers in the constituencies did not accept Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) defectors while the party officials, senior ticket holders and former local body representatives did not contribute during the election campaign, tough economic decisions. “The multiple hikes in petroleum products prices was also another reason for the defeat,” sources added. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will also contact the government allies and a meeting of the coalition parties will also be consulted for the future strategy, sources said.