After the Senate elections, an alliance between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the upcoming by-elections has also hit a roadblock.
Sources reveal that the PML-N has declined to withdraw its candidate in favour of the PPP contender.
Despite efforts to broker consensus between the two parties, talks failed to yield a favourable outcome. The PML-N’s decision not to withdraw its candidate has dashed hopes for cooperation in the upcoming by-elections.
The PPP has nominated Mumtaz Chang as its candidate for the PP-266 Rajanpur seat, while the PML-N has put forward Safdar Laghari as its contender. However, with no election held in this constituency previously, the PML-N has argued that the alliance formula does not apply in this scenario.
Responding to the PML-N’s stance, the PPP has called for at least a level playing field in the electoral arena. The party has alleged retaliatory actions against its candidate in the constituency, by the police, further complicating the electoral landscape.
Amidst tensions over seat adjustments in the Punjab Senate election, the PPP expressed frustration with the PML-N for not accommodating the women’s seats in the province. The PPP has decided to stand firm, refusing to withdraw Faiza Malik’s candidacy in response to the PML-N’s stance.
In a move signaling their discontent, the parliamentary party of the PPP opted out of attending the iftar dinner hosted by the Chief Minister of Punjab. This decision underscores the seriousness of the PPP’s stance on the issue.
