Punjab

12 independent candidates from Punjab join PML-N in NA

Independent candidates announce decision to join PML-N after winning seats in the National Assembly.

Web Desk May 22, 2013

PHOTO: FILE

Twelve independent candidates from Punjab filed their affidavits of joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the National Assembly on Wednesday, according to the provincial Election Commission of Pakistan.

The candidates had successfully secured National Assembly seats in the May 11 elections.

They each filed affidavits to the ECP, Punjab, declaring their alliance to PML-N on Wednesday.

Earlier in the week, six independent candidates from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas also joined PML-N.

The PML-N, the largest party in the National Assembly, has tried to woo independents, who constitute the third largest group of candidates who won NA seats in the May 11 general elections. The independents have swelled the ranks of PML-N, who had won 125 seats, and gave the party simple majority in the assembly.

COMMENTS (5)

Hasan Hasni | 11 years ago | Reply

To be honest independents are supposed to be elected where constituents does not wish to be aligned with policies of any political parties. Why there is a law that independents have to join the political party but they being elected by their constituents to oppose policies of political parties.

MJ | 11 years ago | Reply In order to stop this horse trading I suggest that a law should be legislated that would allow contestants to switch allegiances or parties no later than 2 weeks before poll, thus providing voters ample time to judge whether they still want to vote for that candidate. If a person switches affiliations after the polls then they should awards that seat to the candidate who got the second highest votes are have another poll held at that constituency. The people in these areas elected to vote against the PMLN candidate in majority and thus gave these independents a chance. These elects are now violating the trust that they received in the form of the votes by selling their allegiances to the highest bidders.

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Rao | 11 years ago | Reply

@Baluch: No fix cost I guess, it's all bargaining but I would guess minimum 15-20 crores for current assembly as one party already has clear majority, they just want to inch closer to 2/3 majority. If they need to gain simple majority with help of independents then I guess about 25-30 crores minimum.

Mohammad Ali Siddiqui | 11 years ago | Reply

Independent candidates will always goes with the rising sun.

This is the benefit that independent candidates gets in becoming ministers while candidates who won the election on the party tickets keep on waiting in the queue to become minister and it also happens that some time the entire tenure of the government is lapsed, but the winning candidates do not get the chance to become ministers.

Baluch | 11 years ago | Reply

I always wanted to know how much a National assembly seat costs? Anyone?

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