Pakistan elections: ‘Missing’ Nawaz Sharif, jailed Imran Khan launch campaigns
Pakistan elections: Nawaz Sharif's party started its campaign while Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that it is not being allowed rallies.
Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's party launched its campaign as he was accused of having country's powerful military's support which have made him a front-runner to win upcoming general elections. Nawaz Sharif's main rival Imran Khan is still in jail as candidates from his party will contest the elections as independents using different election symbols after the country’s top court barred them from their cricket bat image.
Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz started its campaign while Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said that it is not being allowed rallies by the authorities.
Absent Nawaz Sharif: Where is he?
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Nawaz Sharif returned from self-exile in London late last year. He has pledged to rebuild the country's $350 billion economy which faces high inflation, unstable currency and low foreign exchange reserves despite averting a debt default with an IMF bailout.
Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz started the party's campaign at a rally in Okara in Punjab province where she said amid inflation in the country, “The more you vote for us the more you will see your household expenses going down.”
Nawaz Sharif did not appear at the rally and has been largely absent from the public eye. He was last ousted in 2017 and has seen numerous corruption cases against him dissolve in the courts.
Who are the other players in the polls?
Major players such as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of late prime minister Benazir Bhutto have already begun campaigns- muted compared to past polls.
Who is the predicted winner of the polls?
A Gallup Pakistan poll taken in December showed Imran Khan still has a five-point lead over Nawaz Sharif in approval ratings.
The elections, which were originally due in November, were delayed in order to redraw constituencies after a new census, the country's poll body said.
