LAHORE: As the deadline nears for nominating party candidates, PML-N leadership attempted on Friday to withstand pressure and conveyed to Istehkam-i-Pakistan that it might not entertain seat adjustments for those IPP candidates who joined post the May 9 violent protests, as per officials.
The IPP, led by Jahangir Khan Tareen, a prominent figure in the sugar industry, has been pressing the PML-N for a considerable number of seats in Punjab, resulting in tension between the two parties.
Additionally, the PML-N is concerned that if it sacrifices most of its candidates in a seat-adjustment pact with the IPP, these candidates might choose to contest independently due to their established support base in their respective areas.
Nawaz Sharif, the top leader of PML-N, chaired the 16th parliamentary board meeting on Friday but couldn’t finalize the ticket allocation due to the party grappling with the IPP-related issues.
Ahsan Iqbal, Secretary General of PML-N, informed Dawn on Friday, “Discussions between PML-N and IPP are ongoing. We’re still conducting interviews and pending matters in the Lahore division.”
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former National Assembly speaker, is leading the negotiations for seat adjustments with the IPP, Mr. Iqbal added.
A source familiar with the discussions stated that PML-N urged the IPP to trim down its extensive list of candidates aspiring to contest in Punjab with PML-N’s backing.
The source clarified, “PML-N is not obligated to accommodate IPP leaders who joined after the May 9 events. However, consideration might be given to those whom the PML-N leadership pledged tickets in exchange for supporting the removal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence motion last year.”
Furthermore, the source highlighted that the PML-N reminded the IPP that they had already accommodated 25 of its former lawmakers by offering tickets in the July 2022 by-polls, indicating an inability to accommodate all of them again.
The PML-N hinted previously that it was engaging in seat-adjustment discussions under external pressure.
“A limited number of seats are under consideration by PML-N for the IPP. However, it cannot completely control the dynamics of local politics,” revealed a senior PML-N figure from Punjab to Dawn.
Expressing skepticism, the leader added, “In my opinion, the likelihood of a seat-adjustment agreement between PML-N and IPP is low.”
Moreover, it was mentioned that PML-N faced constraints in accommodating IPP’s Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan for seats in Lodhran and Lahore, where PML-N possessed strong potential candidates.
Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, IPP’s information secretary, recently stated that the party had requested 40 National Assembly and 70 provincial assembly seats from the Sharif brothers.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
