ISLAMABAD: The ruling coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Saturday announced they would contest the upcoming by-elections together, agreeing on a seat-adjustment formula for constituencies vacated by disqualified PTI lawmakers.
The announcement came days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified 12 PTI lawmakers from Punjab following their conviction in the May 9, 2023, cases. The disqualified members held eight National Assembly and four Punjab Assembly seats.
Speaking at a joint press conference, PML-N leader and federal minister Hanif Abbasi and PPP leader and former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said the two allies would not field candidates against each other. Instead, whichever party had secured the runner-up position in the 2024 general election would contest the by-elections with the other’s support.
“The formula has been finalised between the two allies,” Mr Ashraf said. “There will be no more confusion between us or our candidates.”
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Mr Abbasi said the cooperation reflected the alliance already in place in the Senate, National Assembly and provincial legislatures. He expressed confidence that the two parties would succeed together in the by-polls.
The PPP has announced its intention to contest on six vacant seats — NA-143 and PP-203 in Sahiwal, NA-185 in Dera Ghazi Khan, and NA-96, NA-104 and PP-98 in Faisalabad — and invited applications from aspirants.
Mr Ashraf said the decision to jointly participate was made on the instructions of the leadership of both parties, with the aim of ensuring coordination and avoiding internal competition.
