From Abid Usman
LAHORE: After the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) fielded its candidates in Punjab’s Gujrat district, an upset Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) said it has scrapped the seat adjustment plans with the party weeks before the country is set to witness a much awaited general elections on February 8.
The party, in a statement on Friday, alleged that the PML-N resorted to double standards by fielding its candidates in Gujrat, a district considered PML-Q’s stronghold in Punjab. The PML-Q’s decision came after its meeting chaired by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
The party’s Senior Vice President and Shujaat’s son, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, told Geo News that the Shehbaz Sharif-led party has fielded its candidates in their desired constituencies.
“The party leadership has decided that we will not become a target of double standards,” he added.
The PML-N has fielded nine candidates in Gujranwala division’s Gujrat district which includes three candidates for the National Assembly seats and five for the provincial legislature.
The candidates for the NA constituencies include Chaudhry Abid Raza (NA-62), Nawabzada Ghazanfar Ali Gul (NA-63) and Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed Abbas Siddhu (65). Meanwhile, those fielded in the provincial constituencies include Muhammad Hanif Malik (PP-27), Shabbir Ahmed (PP-28), Nawabzada Haider Mehdi (PP-29), Major (retd) Moin Nawaz Warraich (PP-30), Mohammad Ali (PP-33) and Mian Tariq Mehmood (PP-34).
The politician said the party, which is eying victory in the polls under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, has fielded its candidates in Gujrat against him and Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, Salik’s brother and PML-Q secretary general, who has also agreed with the decision.
“If PML-N will compete with us, we will prefer to stand with our colleagues,” the PML-Q leader maintained.
Earlier this week, PML-N leader Rana Sanuallah shared that his party has agreed on a seat adjustment formula with PML-Q in Gujrat and Bahawalpur.
Last week, The News learnt from sources that both the Punjab-based parties were expected to strike a deal on seat adjustment for the upcoming polls, as negotiations between them continued.
The sources added the PML-Q wanted seat adjustment on multiple seats in addition to those where they won elections in 2018, which included four National Assembly and eight provincial assembly seats.
PML-Q leaders Salik, Monis Elahi, Hussain Elahi and Tariq Bashir Cheema succeeded in those NA constituencies, while Shafay had submitted papers for two provincial assembly seats from Gujrat.
