Seat adjustment: PML-N, JI election talks falter, again

Jamaat takes tougher stance to force PML-N to acquiesce amid PTI’s aggressive electioneering.

ISLAMABAD:

Talks between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) for seat adjustments in the key constituencies once again suffered stalemate, diminishing chances of a last-minute poll cooperation arrangement between the two parties for the May 11 general elections.

JI has taken tougher bargaining position this time, expecting that PML-N would cede ground in the wake of aggressive electioneering by Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf (PTI) in Punjab.

PML-N and JI, the two traditional allies who had coalesced in many past elections, have been holding talks on seat adjustment after the right-wing parties failed to form any big alliance this time.

“Jamaat is taking advantage of PTI. They think that PML-N would bow down and meet all their conditions. They want all gains from us but are not ready to reciprocate,” a PML-N leader told The Express Tribune.

Initially, JI wanted PML-N to support it on 18 national assembly constituencies. Later the demand was narrowed down and finally the two sides began holding negotiations on eight national and 25 Punjab Assembly constituencies.

Among the seats being negotiated include the constituencies from where top JI leaders such as Liaquat Baloch and Fareed Paracha are contesting.

PML-N, after offering its support to JI’s candidates on the agreed selected constituencies, wanted JI to unconditionally support it on the rest of the seats.

“We were ready to give them a couple of seats in Lahore and support them on some other constituencies if they unconditionally supported us on the rest of the seats”, PML-N leader privy to the developments said.

Paracha is contesting from Lahore city while Liaquat Baloch would be contesting from Multan – the native constituency of Javed Hashmi who is now contesting from PTI.

Among other constituencies, JI wanted support of PML-N on Islamabad seat from where it fielded Mian Aslam, a strong contender. Javed Hashmi is contesting from this seat as well.

PML-N sources said it has been showing some willingness to withdraw its candidate Anjum Aqeel Khan in favour of JI’s Mian Aslam in NA-48 Islamabad.

However, PML- N wants JI to reciprocate the adjustment in NA-49, the second constituency of federal capital, by withdrawing its candidate Zubair Farooq in favour of Nawaz League’s Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

Since the official time for withdrawal of candidatures expired on April 18, the names of all candidates including those supporting someone else would appear on ballot paper.

PML-N leaders say that the adamant attitude being shown by JI would ultimately hurt both parties.

“We will suffer. But JI will also be exposed when their candidates would be getting 3,000-4,000 votes in this division of rightwing votes” the PML-N leader, who did not want to be quoted said, adding it would further sabotage the talks.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2013.