The PML-N is getting shaky as the PPP gets ready for the elections.
The past president continues to emphasize the importance of electoral uniformity.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the PPP’s primary ally in the federal government, is still hesitant despite the announcement of the election schedule, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is moving forward with its preparations for the elections in Punjab.
Any candidates from the province who are interested should submit their nomination papers between March 12 and March 14, according to Rana Farooq, the president of the PPP’s central Punjab chapter.
He advised them to file their nomination papers and list any alternate candidates after checking with their attorneys. Also, he advised the candidates to step up their public relations efforts in their individual districts and run for office with all of their passion in order to honour the party.
The PML-N, on the other hand, is still active in promoting the benefits of conducting elections in the entire country at once, despite the clear Supreme Court (SC) directives to conduct polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
PPP’s position in the province is incredibly little, although PML-N continues to be Punjab’s second-largest political party after its main competitor, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Former Punjabi party lawmakers The Express Tribune spoke with had little idea of the party’s election agenda outside of the position the media had made clear, which centred mostly on opposition to the decision to hold elections in Punjab and K-P.
The party provided a variety of justifications, including worries about security, money, bad weather, the holy month of Ramadan, the necessity for a new digital census, and eventually the need to run elections simultaneously over the entire nation.
Maryam Nawaz, the PML-recently N’s designated head organiser, is currently in Punjab on a division-by-division visit to reenergize the party’s membership; the tour is now being referred to as an election campaign.
Meetings were held during these travels to talk about party positions and local politics. Two former lawmakers who attended these meetings claim that discussions regarding party tickets took place, but that not even those who were confident they would succeed in getting tickets received confirmation.
Former party member and provincial lawmaker Abu Hafs Ghiasuddin said that party president and current prime minister Shehbaz Sharif personally guaranteed him a spot on the party ticket despite their relatively poor relationship.
He asserted that the party has not started the selection process for any candidates, nevertheless. The candidate selection process, he continued, is typically done at the very last minute, and when the candidates have been scrutinised, there won’t be enough time for them to campaign.
There comes the holy month of Ramazan every now and then. He enquired as to how they might campaign during Ramadan.
However, he claimed that people in charge of elections were likewise uncertain. He stated that the delay was caused by the enormous misunderstanding surrounding the elections.
Malik Nouman Ahmad Langrial, a different former legislator from Punjab who was one of the 20 lawmakers who left the PTI to join the PML-N last year, claimed to have just seen Maryam and received her full support.
He claimed that the PML-N leader made it plain during the meeting that those who had already harmed the party and will do so again will not be spared. He was referring to the opposition that exists within the party ranks against those lawmakers who left PTI and sided with it.
When questioned about his party’s stance on elections, he responded that they shouldn’t take place until everyone can see the political playing field. He added that there were questions regarding how elections for the National Assembly (NA) could be held after those for Punjab and K-P.
According to Langrial, PTI would once more start complaining about unfairness if they lose these elections. Then, he said, there was the issue of the hot weather, which would make the election campaign extremely challenging.
He added that their stated opinion on the matter was crystal clear.
When questioned about the party’s election campaign, the politician stated that their stance was very clear, i.e., elections shouldn’t be held until an equal playing field is created.
Second, he claimed that the party had not issued any such directives about elections.
