PML-N, MQM-P to jointly contest 2024 elections

KARACHI: In what is being termed as the first major political alliance before the February 8 polls, PML-N and MQM-Pakistan, have announced to contest the 2024 general elections jointly, ARY News reported.

The announcement was made by MQM-P and PML-N leaders in a joint press conference following a delegation-level meeting with former premiers Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore.

MQM delegation comprising Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal met PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz at the party’s Central Secretariat in Lahore.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the parties said they had agreed to adopt a joint strategy to put an end to the public’s woes.

“Both the parties agreed to adopt a joint strategy to bring the people of Pakistan out of the current problems and to put Pakistan back on the path of development. The two parties also decided to set up a six-member committee to prepare a comprehensive charter to address the problems of Sindh province, especially its urban areas. The committee will present the final proposals for cooperation between the two parties to the leadership within 10 days,” a PML-N statement issued after the meeting stated.

پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) اور ایم کیوایم کا مشترکہ اعلامیہ

لاہور:7 نومبر

متحدہ قومی موومنٹ پاکستان (ایم۔ کیو۔ایم) کے وفد نے ڈاکٹر خالد مقبول صدیقی کی قیادت میں ، جس میں ڈاکٹر فاروق ستار اور مصطفی کمال شامل تھے، نے پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد محمد نوازشریف اور صدر پاکستان مسلم لیگ… pic.twitter.com/38wTv7WaeC

— PMLN (@pmln_org) November 7, 2023

Later, talking to the media, senior PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said both parties had agreed to jointly contest the February 8 polls. Saad Rafique said it was decided that the parties would hold consultations on several political, economic and legal policies.

Speaking to media, Sattar said that no party is in a position to steer the country out of the crisis singlehandedly. He further said that the port city generates 60% of the revenue. “National consensus has to be reached for the solution of all the problems in Karachi,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the rifts between PML-N and PPP have become deeper as the latter has repeatedly expressed concerns over level playing field.

The Bilawal-led party has claimed that the PML-N has denied a level playing field in the upcoming polls.

Recently, the PPP also said that it was open to forging an alliance with any political party including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).