PPP faces party pressure to contest NA by-polls

ISLAMABAD: One of the major coalition partners of the federal government, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is facing pressure from within the party to contest the by-polls on the National Assembly (NA) seats, citing sources, ARY News reported on Saturday.

PPP expressed disappointment over the federal government’s actions regarding the decision to boycott the NA by-elections. Sources said that PPP is facing pressure from within party leadership to take part in the NA by-polls.

The political party set a condition to withdrawing from contesting NA by-polls if Awami National Party (ANP) agrees to boycott the elections. It was learnt that the government has not yet contacted the ANP for boycotting the elections.

READ: ECP REJECTS PTI’S PLEA TO REVISE NA BY-POLLS SCHEDULE

Sources closer to PPP leadership said that the government showed lack of seriousness to boycott the elections, whereas, ANP is not ready to take back its decision yet and running its election campaign.

The ANP also allotted tickets to its central leaders for the NA by-elections. The PPP leaders decided to inform Bilawal Bhutto Zardari about their reservations after his return to the country. Bilawal will be recommended to convey the reservations to the prime minister.

Earlier, the Awami National Party (ANP) took a U-turn on its decision to not contest the by-polls on the vacant National Assembly (NA) seats.

READ: NA BY-POLLS: PTI DECIDES TO REMOVE BILAL GHAFFAR AS KARACHI PRESIDENT

The ANP took back its decision to not take part in the NA by-polls. Sources said that the decision was taken by ANP’s provincial leaders in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in a session. The political party also announced the names of candidates for the by-polls.

Moreover, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) decided against participating in the by-elections on National Assembly seats at the suggestion of its coalition partners.

The final decision to contest or boycott NA by-polls would be taken in MQM’s Rabita (Coordination) Committee meeting.