The PML-N and the PPP announced on Saturday that they would compete together in the next partial elections.
The 12 PTI legislators were disqualified in Punjab by the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP) after their conviction in the cases of May 9 (2023). The disqualified legislators came from eight the National Assembly and four constituencies of the Punjab Assembly. The PPP has shown interest in playing in six vacancies: NA-143 and PP-203 (Sahiwal), NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan) and NA-96, NA-104 and PP-98 (Faisalabad), and looked for applications of interested candidates.
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, and Railroad Minister Hanif Abbasi made the announcement during a press conference in Islamabad with PPP MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari.
“We want to tell our workers and every Pakistan that we are a democracy,” said Abbasi, adding that they would dispute the votes according to a “default formula.”
“We will play together. Wherever a PPP candidate is executed, the PML-N will support them,” he said. “Wherever a PML-N candidate is executed, the PPP will support them.”
Ashraf talked about a meeting between the leadership of both parties with respect to the partial elections, stating that a “default formula” for surveys had been decided.
“If a PPP candidate is runner-up in a district, federal or provincial, the PML-N will support them,” he said. “If a PML-N candidate is runner-up in a constituency, then the PPP will support them.”
The leader of the PPP and former prime minister said there was a complete agreement between the leaders of both parties, adding that this plan was made in their instructions.
“Now there will be no more confusion between us or our candidates,” Ashraf added.
“The people of Pakistan need to know that we are allies,” said Abbasi. “Our leadership makes intelligent decisions. We make sure we are allies in all forums.”
The Railroad Minister said that Sindh and Punjab wanted well, while both had positive desires for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, especially in the midst of recent floods in the areas of the north.
