LAHORE: According to The News, talks between the two Punjab-based parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), are expected to result in an agreement on seat adjustments for the general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.
The sources claimed that in addition to the seats where they won elections in 2018, the PML-Q also sought adjustments made to seats in various province assemblies and four National Assembly seats.
Leaders of the PML-Q, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Monis Elahi, Hussain Elahi, and Salik Hussain were successful in those NA seats.
The papers for two Gujrat provincial assembly seats have been presented by Shafay Hussain, the son of Chaudhry Shujaat.
It is anticipated that Salik Hussain and Shafay Hussain from Gujrat will have their seats adjusted, while Hussain Elahi and Musa Elahi from Gujrat will not have their seats adjusted, according to sources.
Tariq Bashir Cheema is up against Saud Majeed of the PML-N in Bahawalpur.
However, regarding seat adjustments, the PML-N and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) are also in negotiations.
On December 26, 2023, Khurram Dastgir Khan, a prominent PML-N leader, stated that while seat adjustments with the IPP might be conceivable, their “big agenda” was still up for discussion.
Speaking of the IPP’s alleged demand for numerous constituencies, including some significant ones, Dastgir had stated that the party led by Jahangir Tareen had made a big demand, which precluded meaningful negotiations.
Talks between the two parties came to a standstill since the Shehbaz Sharif-led party was unwilling to form an alliance on many of its seats. “The party will discuss where they have to give them [IPP] space after making a final decision on tickets,” the PML-N leader had stated.
The IPP had requested adjustments for 50 provincial assembly seats and 26 National Assembly seats, according to sources cited by The News, as the two political parties’ negotiations proceeded without producing any significant progress.
