PML-N, PPP announce to contest by-elections jointly

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have agreed to contest the upcoming by-elections jointly, senior leaders of both parties confirmed on Saturday.

The announcement was made by PML-N leader and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi and PPP’s Raja Pervez Ashraf, the former National Assembly Speaker.

Raja Pervez Ashraf said that finalised their strategy for the by-elections on the seats that fell vacant after the disqualifications of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s lawmakers.

“All matters regarding the by-elections have been settled. We will contest under a mutually agreed formula,” he added.

Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi echoed the same sentiments, saying that the two parties will fully support each other’s candidates in the upcoming by-elections.

“Where the PML-N was the runner-up previously, PPP will not field a candidate, and PML-N will not field a candidate in areas where PPP previously finished second,” Hanif Abbasi explained.

The minister said that both parties have devised a ‘comprehensive’ plan and are confident of a strong victory in the by-elections.

It is to be noted here that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced the schedule for by-elections on vacant seats, including one Senate seat, following the disqualification of PTI-baked lawmakers in May 9 cases and the death of MNA Mian Muhammad Azhar.

The disqualified PTI members include Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub (NA-18 Haripur), Opposition Leader in Senate Shibli Faraz, Senator Ejaz Chaudhry, Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Bhachar, and MNA Ahmed Chattha.

Ahmed Chattha and Malik Ahmad Bhachar were elected from NA-66 (Wazirabad) and PP-87 (Mianwali), respectively. The NA-129 (Lahore-XIII) seat became vacant after the death of PTI-backed MNA Mian Muhammad Azhar, who had won the seat in the February 2024 general elections.

Anti-Terrorism Courts had also disqualified MNA Rai Haider Ali (NA-96 Faisalabad), MNA Sahibzada Hamid Raza (NA-104 Faisalabad), MNA Rai Hassan Nawaz (NA-143 Sahiwal), MNA Zartaj Gul (NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan), Punjab Assembly member Ansar Iqbal (PP-73 Sargodha), MPA Junaid Afzal Sahi (PP-98 Faisalabad), and MPA Rai Murtaza Iqbal (PP-203 Sahiwal).