The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab announced party tickets later than expected on Monday, The News reported, citing party insiders. The reason for the delay was internal rifts and seat adjustments.
According to party insiders, the party leadership was supposed to release the names of those who purchased party tickets on Sunday. However, this was delayed because seats with the IPP and PML-Q needed to be adjusted, and there was still disagreement among PML-N officials about party tickets.
The sources added that the delay in the final announcement was creating issues for party ticket candidates who had not yet begun their election campaigns. The PML-N leadership is having trouble deciding on the party tickets for the general election that is set to take place on February 8, 2024.
According to sources, the PML-N Parliamentary Board meetings ended more than a week ago, and the party hasn’t made a decision regarding ticket distribution as of yet.
Ayaz Sadiq and Sheikh Rohail Ashgar’s disagreement over the party ticket remained unresolved in Lahore because neither of them was willing to give up. A similar situation occurred at Narowal, where party tickets for its blue-eyed candidates caused a wedge between Ahsan Iqbal and Daniyal Aziz.
When approached, Rohail Ashgar stated he was unsure of the seat’s current status. He claimed to have no problems with the party leadership and to have excellent ties with Nawaz Sharif, the supremo of the party.
According to sources, the PML-N leaders were also opposing the IPP and PML-Q’s requests for seat adjustments, arguing that the party’s winning seats shouldn’t go to these groups. The high brass of the PML-N had made the decision to issue tickets to PTI members who were leaving the party.
Abdul Rehman Kanju, the leader of the PML-N, reportedly became enraged with Jahangir Tareen’s accommodation in Lodhran and declared he would run as an independent candidate for two seats if Tareen was given preference over him.
According to sources, the local PML-N leadership was not prepared to accept the decision, despite the party leadership hinting at a seat adjustment with PTI defectors Syed Mubeen Ahmed from Rahim Yar Khan and Samiul Hasan Gillani from Bahawalpur.
Talal Chaudhry’s seat in Faisalabad was also in jeopardy since there was a possibility that Raja Riaz and Nawab Sher Wasair might both receive tickets from Faisalabad and be considered by the party.
Malik Ahmed Khan and other party leaders were contacted by The News to inquire about the reason for the delay, but no response was obtained until the story was filed.
Shehbaz Sharif, the president of the PML-N, met with party leaders to talk about the problems in the interim. Shehbaz Sharif was met by a number of former ministers and party leaders, including Chaudhry Muhammad Tufail Jat, Muhammad Ashraf Jat, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Mian Javed Latif, Mian Ata Manika, Malik Afzal Khokhar, Dr. Zulfikar Bhatti, Malik Saiful Mulook Khokhar, and Mohsin Saad Rafique.
