LG polls: PPP rules out alliance with PTI, mulls to join hands with JI

Ruling out any possibility to join hands with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani Monday hinted Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) might form an alliance with Jamat-e-Islami (JI). 

Addressing a press conference flanked by the other party leaders in Sindh Assembly, Ghani said: "We can hold talks with Jamat-e-Islami but not with the PTI as we have no intention of forming an alliance with them."

The minister, while expressing joy over the party's recent gains in the local government elections in Hyderabad, said that the PPP will emerge as the biggest party. 

He added that the party will also win National Assembly and provincial assembly seats in Karachi.

The minister congratulated the JI for performing well in the polls, saying that the party is just a little behind the PPP. "JI and PPP have a clear number of seats," he claimed.

Ghani assured the masses that the PPP will live up to the expectations. "Those who have won will complete the term and serve the people," he said.

'LG polls prove last general elections rigged'

Criticising the PTI, the minister said that the local government polls proved that the last general elections were rigged.

Speaking about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) decision to boycott elections, Ghani said that the party had also boycotted the polls before. He said that the party wanted MQM-P to contest the elections.

The provincial minister said that he contacted JI President Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman regarding the delay in polls. He said that he later contacted the officials.

"They said that the polling staff giving duties at different places was untrained which led to the delay," he said.

Ghani said that they are trying to elect the mayor democratically.

JI open to forming alliance

Earlier today, Naeem showed an inclination to form an alliance with other political parties if there would be a need for that.

Rehman said that his party wants to manage the municipality independently, however, it is open to holding talks with another party for an alliance.

When asked if he would join the PTI or PPP, Naeem said that he will hold talks with all the parties for the betterment of Karachi.

"We will try to talk to other parties as we have a mandate, so everyone should respect our mandate," he said.

Naeem also said that the JI emerged as the number one party through hard work, adding that they have received votes from all those belonging to other political parties.