ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday decided to launch a public relations (PR) campaign for his party's success in the local body elections, Pakistani media reported.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party suffered a defeat in the first phase of local body elections in 17 districts of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in December 2021.
The party suffered a major setback in the electoral contest after it lost a coveted mayoral seat in the province it has ruled since 2013, making the prime minister acknowledge "wrong candidate selection" by his party.
The decision to launch a PR campaign was made at a meeting of the central executive committee (CEC) of the PTI that was presided over by PM Khan, Geo News channel reported.
"The premier issued directives to prepare a schedule of public meetings in connection with the local body elections," the report read.
"The meeting also discussed the distribution of tickets during the elections and considered recommendations for mayors in major cities."
Following the defeat in the first phase of elections, PM Khan, who is also the PTI chairman, had dissolved the organizational structure of his party. The chief organizer and all other party office-bearers had been removed from their posts.
In Monday's meeting, PM Khan said the organizational structure of the party would be reshaped. “Our workers are a valuable asset to the party and the tickets will be distributed on the basis of merit,” he was quoted as saying.
The prime minister said the people of Pakistan had "no better option than the PTI" and that the party would contest the elections with full force, according to the report.
The second phase of the KP local body elections is scheduled to be held late next month.
