PMLN to consider seat adjustment with JUIF

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) has clarified that it will not form an election alliance with the JUIF, but seat adjustments may be considered.

“There is no talk of an election alliance with Maulana Fazlur Rahman, but seat adjustments,” PMLN Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said in a media talk after a meeting between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Monday. Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman visited the PMLN’s Central Secretariat with party members and met with PMLN Quaid Nawaz Sharif and party leaders.

PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Maulana Fazlur Rahman to the party secretariat. Senior Vice-President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senator Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Maryam Aurangzeb, and other leaders were also present.

The JUIF delegation comprised Central Spokesman Muhammad Aslam Ghori, Maulana Muhammad Amjad Khan, Maulana Mehmood Mian, Engineer Ziaur Rehman, Hafiz Naseer Ahmad Ahrar, and Hafiz Ghazanfar Aziz.

The leaders discussed the overall situation and preparations for the next general election. A one-on-one meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rahman was also held, party sources said, claiming that the two leaders consulted on political cooperation, an election alliance, and seat adjustment. Consideration was given to the formula related to seat adjustment between the PMLN and the JUIF, party sources said, adding that the idea of forming committees in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and KP in this regard also came under discussion.

Earlier, the PMLN had a second meeting of the party’s Parliamentary Board that interviewed candidates for Rawalpindi Division.The meeting was chaired by PMLN Quaid Nawaz Sharif. More than 120 nomination papers were submitted for 11 national and 23 provincial seats in the Rawalpindi Division. Rawalpindi district has seven National Assembly seats, while Attock, Chakwal, and Jhelum have two seats each, while there are 14 seats in the Punjab Assembly from Rawalpindi, five seats from Chakwal, and three seats from Jhelum.

Later, PMLN’s Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan told the media that the PMLN was ready for elections. He said it was impossible to change the date of February 8 for the general election, as the chief justice was there to ensure timely elections.

Rana Sanaullah Khan called PTI’s ex-chairman a ladle once again, saying that the events of May 9 were being termed a London plan, whereas Nawaz Sharif has told all the political parties to unite on the Charter of Economy.

To a question, Rana Sanaullah Khan said if a new parliament comes into existence, it will take all decisions, including abolishing the NAB. Once the country is on the path of economic development, any decision, including a truth commission, can be taken by a future parliament.

After two or three divisions, the names of the candidates will be announced, he said, adding that once the parliamentary board completes interviewing Punjab candidates, it will release the schedule for KP and Balochistan. Nawaz Sharif will have a break of one or two days for his appeal on Thursday, he said.

“The PMLN is ready for elections, and workers are excited to take part in them.” Rana Sanaullah said that Nawaz Sharif had promised the nation on October 21, 2023, that he would steer the country out of the crisis, as the common man was in a bad situation due to inflation.

“Nawaz Sharif will visit the entire country, go to every province, elections will be held in Pakistan on February 8, in which the PMLN will get a public mandate,” he concluded.It is learnt that PMLN leader Nawaz Sharif has decided to consult on names for the presidential candidate after the formation of the next parliament.

Meanwhile, highly placed political sources told The News the MQM-Pakistan will be part of the political arrangement between PMLN and Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s JUI that was concluded in Lahore on Monday in meeting of Maulana Fazl with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif.

The long-term country-wide alliance would be open for other likeminded parties for joining. The parleys are underway with these parties and groups in Sindh and Balochistan. The PMLN and JUI alliance would be exclusively concentrating on KPK and Balochistan, while the MQM-P and other allies play more effective role in Sindh and urban areas of the province.

Sources said the major parties of the alliance would cooperate with each other for formation of governments in the wake of upcoming polls. The alliance would be fully active when the Presidential and Senate elections would take place immediate after the establishment of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.

Political observers are of the view that former president and PPPP leader Asif Ali Zardari has been eying on the slot of the president of country but lately Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also emerged as new contender for the slot.

The sources pointed out that if Maulana Fazl is made the president of the country, his JUI will have to create space for the PMLN in election of Senate’s 50 seats, due for the elections immediate after February 8 elections.

The sources revealed that Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazl had consented to support the constitutional amendment for enhancing powers for the local governments within the ambit of eighteenth amendment of the constitution. It has been indicated that the PPP has reservations about the changes in eighteenth amendment of the constitution.