Upcoming elections: PML-N joins hands with PML-F, NPP in Sindh
Leaders constitute committee to formulate terms of reference for an alliance.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and PML-F chief Pir Pagara hold in a joint press conference in Lahore. PHOTO: PPI
LAHORE:
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and National Peoples Party (NPP) have decided to contest the upcoming general elections in Sindh under an alliance.
In a high-level meeting between the parties Jati Umra Raiwind on Friday, the heads of the three parties agreed to constitute a committee to formulate the terms of reference of the alliance and explore the possibility of expanding the alliance to other parties in Sindh.
Participants of the meeting told The Express Tribune that the committee will hold its first meeting in Lahore next week. They said it will look into seats the alliance has the potential to win, in addition to discussing which other parties can join the alliance. It will also decide whether the three parties will contest the elections in Sindh under a single symbol.
Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-F MPA Jam Madad Ali Khan predicted the alliance would win a number of general and reserved seats in Sindh, challenging Pakistan Peoples Party’s dominance in the province. He added that if more parties joined the alliance, it would grab around 38 general provincial assembly seats as well.
According to meeting participants, PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and PML-F head Pir Pagara also discussed the issue of the notification of the leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly. PML-F sought PML-N’s support for grabbing the opposition leader’s slot. Currently, out of the 13 MPAs sitting in the opposition, eight belong to PML-F and three belong to NPP. PML-F MPA Nusrat Saher Abbasi has applied for the opposition leader’s seat in the Sindh Assembly.
The participants said Nisar and Pagara decided PML-F would approach the Sindh High Court in this regard while the PML-N would take up the issue in the upcoming National Assembly session. PML-F is set to file a petition for the opposition leader’s slot today (Saturday).
Following the meeting, PML-N president Nawaz Sharif, PML-F head Pir Pagara and NPP chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi addressed a joint press conference.
Talking to reporters, Pagara said that this time around, President Asif Ali Zardari would not succeed in getting governments in the centre, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He claimed, as such, PPP would definitely pollute Sindh’s political arena, making it inevitable for PML-F and NPP to join hands with PML-N. He added the PPP had divided Sindh by introducing the local government ordinance, and if they regained power in the province following the election, they would place it at further risk. Sharif supported Pagara’s view on the local government act, claiming it was PPP’s habit to raise the issue of dividing provinces for the sake of a few seats.
The PML-N chief also talked about Tahirul Qadri’s deal with the government, saying that Qadri went to Islamabad to save the state instead of politics, but backed down just to save his reputation. He added that by demanding that his opinion be considered when appointing the caretaker prime minister, he had shown he joined the ruling coalition.
Sharif said the opposition would nominate two names for caretaker prime minister and warned PPP of strong action if it decided to appoint its own leader as the leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and National Peoples Party (NPP) have decided to contest the upcoming general elections in Sindh under an alliance.
In a high-level meeting between the parties Jati Umra Raiwind on Friday, the heads of the three parties agreed to constitute a committee to formulate the terms of reference of the alliance and explore the possibility of expanding the alliance to other parties in Sindh.
Participants of the meeting told The Express Tribune that the committee will hold its first meeting in Lahore next week. They said it will look into seats the alliance has the potential to win, in addition to discussing which other parties can join the alliance. It will also decide whether the three parties will contest the elections in Sindh under a single symbol.
Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-F MPA Jam Madad Ali Khan predicted the alliance would win a number of general and reserved seats in Sindh, challenging Pakistan Peoples Party’s dominance in the province. He added that if more parties joined the alliance, it would grab around 38 general provincial assembly seats as well.
According to meeting participants, PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and PML-F head Pir Pagara also discussed the issue of the notification of the leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly. PML-F sought PML-N’s support for grabbing the opposition leader’s slot. Currently, out of the 13 MPAs sitting in the opposition, eight belong to PML-F and three belong to NPP. PML-F MPA Nusrat Saher Abbasi has applied for the opposition leader’s seat in the Sindh Assembly.
The participants said Nisar and Pagara decided PML-F would approach the Sindh High Court in this regard while the PML-N would take up the issue in the upcoming National Assembly session. PML-F is set to file a petition for the opposition leader’s slot today (Saturday).
Following the meeting, PML-N president Nawaz Sharif, PML-F head Pir Pagara and NPP chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi addressed a joint press conference.
Talking to reporters, Pagara said that this time around, President Asif Ali Zardari would not succeed in getting governments in the centre, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He claimed, as such, PPP would definitely pollute Sindh’s political arena, making it inevitable for PML-F and NPP to join hands with PML-N. He added the PPP had divided Sindh by introducing the local government ordinance, and if they regained power in the province following the election, they would place it at further risk. Sharif supported Pagara’s view on the local government act, claiming it was PPP’s habit to raise the issue of dividing provinces for the sake of a few seats.
The PML-N chief also talked about Tahirul Qadri’s deal with the government, saying that Qadri went to Islamabad to save the state instead of politics, but backed down just to save his reputation. He added that by demanding that his opinion be considered when appointing the caretaker prime minister, he had shown he joined the ruling coalition.
Sharif said the opposition would nominate two names for caretaker prime minister and warned PPP of strong action if it decided to appoint its own leader as the leader of opposition in the Sindh Assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.