PML-N contacts 'disgruntled' partymen who contested independently

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has begun contacting ‘disgruntled’ candidates, who contested the general elections 2024 independently and came out victorious, in efforts to strengthen the party’s position in National Assembly (NA).

The results of 253 out of the total 265 National Assembly constituencies where elections were held had been announced, which showed the independents in the lead with 100 seats overall. The PML-N and PPP had won 71 and 54 seats, respectively, and were set to bag most of the 70 reserved seats for women and non-Muslims in the house.

Sources told ARY News that the PML-N would contact the 12 ‘disgruntled’ candidates, who contested the general elections 2024 independently. The disgruntled partymen will meet PML-N surpemo Nawaz Sharif after assurance, they added.

The 12 partymen contested the election independently after not getting party tickets from PML-N. If the disgruntled members join PML-N, the party position will be strengthened further, sources added.

Meanwhile, PML-N constituted a committee to hold talks with independent candidates, who secured victory in the general elections. The committee comprises of Ayaz Sadiq, Ishaq Dar, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahmed Cheema and Talha Barqi.

The committee members, including Marriyum Aurangzeb, have reached Shehbaz Sharif’s residence in Model Town. Ishaq Dar will brief the party members on contact with independent candidates.

It is pertinent to mention here that several results of general elections 2024, showing PML-N candidates’ winners, were challenged in high courts, with opponents alleging that their defeat was a result of “rigging”.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) affiliated independent candidates have moved the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging the results of the PP-164 and NA-118 – where father-son duo, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz secured victory.

On the other hand, Dr Yasmeen Rashid also challenged former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s victory in Lahore’s NA-130 constituency in Lahore High Court (LHC).

Another independent candidate Shehzad Farooq challenged Maryam Nawaz’s success from Lahore’s NA:119, while another PML-N winner Ata Tarar’s success in NA:127 has also been challenged in court by PTI-supported independent candidate Zaheer Abbas Khokhar.

Rehana Dar, mother of Usman Dar, petitioned the high court for recounting of votes in Sialkot’s NA-71, challenging the success of PML-N veteran Khawaja Asif in the Sialkot constituency.