PMLN, IPP ‘reach’ seat adjustments

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have reached an agreement on seat adjustments for the February 8 elections, according to sources.

Sources privy to the talks going on between the two parties for many days said the IPP would be accommodated on seven National Assembly and 11 provincial assembly seats. IPP Patron-in-Chief Jehangir Khan Tareen would be accommodated on NA-149 Multan seat, instead of Lodhran. However, Tareen would also contest election from NA-155 Lodhran seat, where PMLN candidate Siddique Baloch would be his opponent candidate, according to the party sources.

Initially, the IPP had demanded adjustments for 13 National and 22 provincial assembly seats. A formal announcement in this regard is likely on Tuesday (today). Party sources said Aleem Khan would be adjusted for NA-117 Lahore, Auon Chaudhry NA-128 Lahore, Nauman Langrial from Sahiwal, Amir Kiyani Islamabad, Ghulam Sarwar Khan Rawalpindi and Engineer Gul Asghar would be adjusted for Khushab National Assembly seat.

However, according to sources, IPP’s Firdous Ashiq, Humayun Akhtar and Rana Nazir will not accommodated. Farrukh Habib from Faisalabad and Noureen Shaukat from Sahiwal would also not be part of the adjustment formula, added sources.

According to sources, other IPP leaders, who would be adjusted by the PMLN, include Ammar Siddique from PP-12, Raja Yawar Kamal PP-24, Ameer Haider Sanga PP-81, Ajmal Cheema PP-98, Ali Akhtar PP-106, Hashim Dogar PP-180, Aleem Khan PP-149 Lahore, Nauman Falak Sher PP-204, Iftikhar Gilani PP-250, Niaz Gashgori PP-277 and Rafaqat Gilani from PP-282 constituency.