‘Alliance with PML-N resulted in losses to PPP in Punjab’

Veteran politician and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah Monday lamented his party's alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), saying that the move resulted in "losses" to the Bilawal Bhutto-led party in Punjab.

Speaking to a private news channel, the politico underscored that a significant number of PPP workers in Punjab parted ways with the party due to its alliance with the PML-N.

Firing a fresh salvo at the former ally, Shah said that the PML-N has "installed" its people in the caretaker government whose mere responsibility is to oversee the transitional period between the outgoing and newly elected governments.

The PPP has been levelling allegations against the PML-N for having a hidden alliance with the caretakers. As the differences between former allies continue to grow, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari laid the blame for being denied a level playing field on the PML-N.

The PPP's concerns regarding the level playing field were especially with a particular political party, PML-N, Bilawal had said in Lahore.

In his interview, Shah said that PPP had been forging alliances with the PML-N for the past 15 years.

Recalling their alliance in the PDM regime, the PPP leader said that his party stood forward and rescued the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government whenever there were difficulties.

PPP and the PML-N were the main allies in the previous PDM regime that ruled the country after the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan via a vote of no-confidence for around 16 months.

Responding to a question about the next government, Shah predicted that no single party could win a simple majority to form government in this situation. Following the elections, a coalition government would emerge in the country, he added.

Stressing the need for a new post-election alliance between the PPP and PML-N to form a coalition government, Shah said: “We still say that we have to work together [for the sake of the country]. The country needs that decisions are made together [with consensus].”

He went on to say: “It is not a matter of PDM-2, let the elections be held first.”

To another question, Shah revealed that the PPP chairman would be the party's candidate for prime ministership.

Commenting on the Bilawal-led party's post-election future, the veteran politician said that the PPP might sit on the opposition benches.

"It is possible that the PPP might be in the opposition [...] or it may very well happen that the party forms the government." "Anything is possible," Shah said.

On the issue of a possible delay in the polls, the PPP leader categorically underscored that the party has never opined in favour of any delay in the general elections.

Shah, in reference to the hurdles that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's probable candidates were facing in filing their nomination papers, said that such tactics would jeopardise the credibility of the polls.

"Every political party needs to participate in the polls [...] If a party member is involved in any [legal issue] then they should not contest the polls," he said, adding that the rest of the party members shouldn't be affected and must be allowed to contest in the elections.

His remarks refer to multiple graft cases against the incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, who cannot contest polls at the time because he has been barred from holding public office for five years.