IPP wants Nawaz to accommodate its candidates in 64 constituencies

LAHORE (NNI): The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) wants 20 National Assembly seats for the suggested seat adjustment with the PML-N, sources say, a desired share that is much bigger than the expected numbers, as Pakistan is getting nearer to the much-awaited February 8 elections.

At the same time, the IPP expects the PML-N to back its candidates in 44 Punjab Assembly constituencies, according to the lists prepared by a committee – comprising Ishaq khakwani, Awn Chaudhry and Nauman Langrial – in consultations with the top party leaders.

Nineteen out of these 20 National Assembly constituencies are in Punjab while the remaining one is in Karachi, the sources say, adding that the list would be shared with the PML-N by Sunday night (tonight).

It is claimed that the two parties will go for seat adjustment in the provincial constituency if the PML-N refuses to accommodate the IPP candidate at the national level.

According to the sources, the IPP had formally endorsed the move to go for seat adjustment with the PML-N at meeting held a day earlier.

The report comes after Jahangir Tareen and Awn Chaudhry from the IPP – a party comprising the former members mainly from Punjab – met PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday to discuss the possibility of seat adjustment.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI defectors are mostly joined bands with former chief minister Pervez Khattak who has formed his own faction – PTI (Parliamentarians).

As three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif eyes another term in office, he has decided to reach out to other parties and groups for seat adjustment in places like Sindh and Balochistan to boost his party’s representation in and from these provinces while also trying to woo influential figures to join the PML-N.

In this connection, Nawaz visited Balochistan last month where several politicians announced to be part of the PML-N and also held talks with Khalid Magsi-led BAP for seat adjustment after reaching a deal earlier with the MQM-P in Sindh.

However, it would be interesting to see whether and how much Nawaz will bend to accommodate other parties in Punjab – his stronghold where accommodating his own PML-N candidates is a challenge in many constituencies. The Chaudhrys of Gujrat have already asked Nawaz to support the PML-Q candidates in four national and eight provincial seats in Punjab.