PML-N to go solo in Punjab elections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would go solo to contest the upcoming general elections in Punjab, but it might explore the possibility of an alliance or seat adjustment arrangements in other provinces, party sources said on Wednesday.

The former ruling party took major decisions in its meeting in London on Tuesday, including the return of party Quaid Nawaz Sharif, party’s narrative during the election campaign, and the nomination of candidates for the national and provincial assembly seats.

According to insiders, Nawaz would be given a rousing welcome upon his return to Pakistan next month. The sources said that the date of Oct 21 for Nawaz’s return was proposed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, which was agreed by the party bigwigs present in the meeting.

The London meeting, the PML-N insiders said, decided that the party would initiate its election campaign after Nawaz’s return.

“Nawaz Sharif will lead the election campaign soon after returning home. Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and Hamza Shehbaz will also campaign vigorously,” the source said.

The source, who was privy to the deliberations, said that a firm decision had been taken that the party would not make any electoral alliance or seat adjustment with any other party at national or the provincial level in Punjab.

However, the source added, joint candidates could be fielded in other provinces.

Political experts suggested that the decision ruled out the possibility of any rapprochement between the PML-N and its former coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

“The decision is effectively a red flag for the newly formed Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).”
The insiders suggested that the party would be open to seat adjustment or electoral alliance with other parties in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa such as the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) or other nationalist parties.

Party narrative

According to the insiders, another meeting of the PML-N stalwarts would be held in London soon to discuss and finalise several other matters related to the upcoming general elections.

In this regard, they added that preparations for the party strategy and its narrative for the elections were in the final stage.

“Another meeting will be held in London in the next few days,” another PML-N source said. “In that meeting, the senior-most leadership will approve the election campaign strategy and the new party manifesto.”

In Tuesday’s meeting, initial proposals regarding the election campaign and party narrative were discussed. The participants stressed the need for taking women and young population into account while campaigning for the elections.

The meeting, the insiders said, welcomed a proposal to fully highlight the development projects of Nawaz and Shehbaz governments to attract votes.

There was another proposal aimed at informing the people about some former high-ranking figures who targeted the PML-N.