PML-N to field candidates in all Punjab constituencies: Rana

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Punjab president Rana Sanaullah on Friday announced that his party would field candidates in all constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies in the province, ruling out electoral alliance in the upcoming general elections, ARY News reported.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, the interior minister said that the PML-N was commencing its electoral activities and an organisational meeting has been summoned in this regard.

“The meeting will discuss our resolve to take forward the election activity in Punjab with full force,” the PML-N leader said, adding that the party will field candidates in all national and provincial constituencies.

Rana Sanaullah pointed out that his party had not fielded its candidates in a few constituencies in last elections. “However, this time, the party has decided to ensure that its party symbol would be present in every constituency”, he added.

The federal minister also said that there was a possibility of seat adjustments with other political parties in such constituencies where the party would need help. “In this regard, PML-N’s criteria would be that we would not compromise on our winning and dedicated candidates,” he added.

He also recalled the PML-N’s ‘achievements’ during its past tenures, specifically mentioning the 1999 tests that made Pakistan a nuclear power.

“A conspiracy was hatched at a time [2013-2018] when all newspapers were saying that Pakistan was becoming an economic power,” he claimed.

He also lambasted the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that it “divided the country’s politics and injected poison in it, and misled the youth”.

He further said that the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again brought the country out of economic crises and saved it from default.

The press conference came a day after Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif announced that the incumbent government will hand over power to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that he assumed the prime minister’s office in April 2022 and power will be handed over to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.

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The premier said that the incumbent government fended off ‘landmines’ laid by the previous government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) besides ending Pakistan’s isolation on the economic and foreign-level fronts.

He termed his government the ‘beginning of a new era’ from economic destruction to the initiation of economic stability. He also claimed that the incumbent government culminated worst corruption and conspiracies of the previous government.