THIS refers to the editorial `Imran Khan`s rallies` (April 23) wherein many valid points have been adequately covered.

However, I would like to add an aspect which generally goes unnoticed.

Public meetings do contribute towards opinion formation, and they have their own importance. It is also indicative of which side the wind is blowing. But at the same time it may not be a true reflection of the ground realities of the electoral constituencies.

In a public meeting, workers, volunteers and supporters participate from all over the country as well as from all parts of the city, may it be Karachi, Lahore or elsewhere. The interviews that were conducted by various television channels of the participants of public meetings made it appear as if most of them were from outside the city and from other party of the city, other than the electoral constituency where the public meetings were held.

Whereas the results of general elections mostly depend upon local politics of each constituency and many factors count, like party affiliation, candidate`s reputation, community, local pressure groups and demography of the population.

We have seen very large public meetings of almost all political parties before the general elections, but the results of 2008, 2013 and 2018 were not in conformity with the mood of the public meetings.

In view of the above facts, it is candidly clear that public meetings are not a barometer of election results because at the electoral constituencies, door-to-door canvassing and corner meetings by the candidate and his personality as well as his reputation is of paramount importance.

Lt-Col (retd) Syed Iftikhar Ahmed Karachi