PAKISTAN: In his last election rally, former Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif urges voters to come out and change the nation's destiny

Record ID: 213973

  • Title: PAKISTAN: In his last election rally, former Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif urges voters to come out and change the nation's destiny
  • Date: 9th May 2013
  • Summary: LAHORE, PAKISTAN (MAY 9 , 2013) (REUTERS) CROWD WAVING PARTY FLAGS VARIOUS OF CROWD WAVING STUFFED TIGER, EMBLEM OF SHARIF'S PAKISTAN MUSLIM LEAGUE NAWAZ (PML-N) PARTY WOMEN WAVING PARTY FLAGS WOMAN CHANTING: "PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF" SHARIF STANDING ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) FORMER PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER NAWZ SHARIF SAYING: "God willing, when your fate changes, then the destiny of the nation will also change. Young men, you are the architects of the future. The green flag of Pakistan is in your hands. Do not let it bend down." VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS WAVING PARTY FLAGS SHARIF SUPPORTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE DATA DARBAR, PATRON SAINT OF LAHORE SUPPORTERS HOLDING PARTY FLAGS, CHANTING: "HERE COMES THE LION" YOUNG MAN DANCING VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS DANCING AND CHEERING PEOPLE ENTERING SHRINE PEOPLE PRAYING AT SHRINE (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) NEPHEW OF SHARIF, HAMZA SHAHBAZ SHARIF, SAYING: "There was danger of terrorism, but thank God in a few minutes the campaigning will end. Now that five years of democracy has been completed, people will elect a new government with their votes." VARIOUS OF CROWD CHANTING
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEBSHGXSTRUIGY6UYIT3S4QL2E
  • Story Text: Campaigning ended at midnight (1900GMT) on Thursday (May 9) ahead of Pakistan's May 11 vote, considered a democratic milestone in Pakistan's history because it will mark the first time a civilian government has completed a full term and handed over to another administration.
    But the election has not come without a price.
    Since April, the al Qaeda-linked Pakistani Taliban have killed more than 100 people in attacks on election candidates and rallies, particularly those of secular-leaning parties, in a bid to undermine elections they regard as un-Islamic.
    The attacks have prevented candidates from the three main parties in the ruling coalition from holding big rallies. Instead, they have relied on door-to-door campaigning or small meetings in homes or on street corners.
    The Pakistan Taliban are blamed for many of the suicide bombings across the country, a nuclear-armed strategic ally of the United States.
    But they have not attacked the main opposition party led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which has courted support from groups accused of supporting militancy.
    Sharif, who is seen as favourite to become the next prime minister, said Pakistan should reconsider its support for the U.S. war on Islamist militancy and suggests he would be in favour of negotiations with the Taliban.

    "God willing , when your fate changes, then the destiny of the nation will also change. Young men, you are the architects of the future. The green flag of Pakistan is in your hands. Do not let it bend down," Sharif told a huge gathering of supporters as campaigning came to a close 48 hours before the poll begins on May 11.
    Crowds of supporters, led by Sharif's nephew Hamza Shahbaz, went to offer prayers at Data Sahib, patron saint of Lahore.

    "There was danger of terrorism, but thank God in a few minutes the campaigning will end. Now that five years of democracy has been completed, people will elect a new government with their votes," Hamza said.
    According to the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), all public meetings and political campaigning, including on electronic and print media, had to come to a halt at midnight on Thursday, and any violation of the deadline would warrant disqualification of the candidates.
    This will be the 11th general election for Pakistan since 1962, in which 85.04 million registered voters in the country will elect close to 1000 members of the National and Provincial assemblies of Pakistan, who will further elect the Prime Minister of Pakistan at the national level and the Chief Ministers of Pakistan at the provincial level.
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