In a significant development, the two arch rivals of the past – the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) – have agreed to field joint candidates in all constituencies across the country, except in Tandlianwala (Punjab), in the October 14 by-elections.
This was announced by the leaders of the two parties yesterday during their talk with reporters after a series of meetings on the collaboration.
PPP secretary general Nayyar Hussain Bokhari said that the two parties had been engaged in talks for the past few weeks over the prospects for jointly contesting the by-elections.
With the approval of the leadership of both sides, they have now decided that they would field joint candidates on the seats of National and Provincial Assemblies.
Bokhari said that the PPP and the PML-N would not only support each other’s candidates, but would also actively participate in their election campaign.
He said they are seeking to join hands with other parties too.
PPP Punjab president Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the two parties had agreed on a formula under which the PPP would support the PML-N candidates in all the National and Provincial Assembly constituencies in Punjab, except Rahimyar Khan, where the PML-N would support the PPP-nominated candidate.
Similarly, the PML-N would support the PPP candidates in all the constituencies in Karachi.
PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said that the PPP had also agreed to support the PML-N on the Islamabad seat vacated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Tandlianwala is the exception, since the election there had been delayed, he added.
Sanaullah said that the first round of talks was held in the parliament chamber of Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, after which the leaders of the two parties continued discussions.
Then, a final meeting was held at the Parliament Lodges in which they finalised the formula for jointly fielding candidates in the by-elections.
A PML-N delegation, led by Sharif, also called on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazlur (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with a request to convene another multi-party conference (MPC) of opposition parties.
The “grand opposition alliance” formed by 11 parties soon after the July 25 elections had fallen apart within weeks, following the PPP’s refusal to vote for Sharif against Khan in the election of prime minister.
Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Rehman said they had no expectations of the PTI government, which “acquired power through backdoor”.
He said that the PTI members are themselves claiming that they enjoyed the support of the army and the judiciary.
“What message do they want to give to the nation?” Rehman asked.
However, the PPP had backed out of its commitment and asked the PML-N to replace Shehbaz Sharif with another candidate, insisting that the PPP could not vote for him as he had made controversial remarks against the party chief Asif Zardari during the election campaign.
Later, cracks within the opposition ranks deepened when the PPP unilaterally nominated Aitzaz Ahsan as the presidential candidate, drawing the ire of other opposition parties.
