The much-hyped electoral alliance between the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan parties risks falling apart, as the former has conveyed to the latter that it is unwilling to commit to seat adjustments in various constituencies of Punjab.
Last month, IPP chief Jahangir Khan Tareen met PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif, with officials of both parties telling media they were considering seat adjustments to jointly contest the general elections due on Feb. 8, 2024. Despite several committee-level meetings since, there has been little headway on the alliance, as the PMLN fears it could divide the vote if candidates sacrificed in the seat-adjustment contest polls independently, securing their independent vote banks.
Reportedly, one of the reasons for the delay in the PMLN parliamentary board delaying finalization of its ticket distribution is because the party is hoping to figure out an amicable path forward. Key to the impasse is the IPP desiring to contest its candidates from Lahore, which the PMLN considers its traditional stronghold and is unwilling to release under any arrangement.
According to reports published in various media outlets, the PMLN has now urged the IPP to reduce its demands—earlier expressed by IPP Information Secretary Firdous Ashiq Awan as 40 National and 70 Punjab Assembly seats. It has also urged them to not expect the PMLN to cater specifically to IPP members who joined it after exiting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) following the May 9 riots.
For now, the PMLN maintains negotiations are ongoing. However, barring a significant breakthrough in the coming days, chances of the parties contesting elections through seat adjustment appear increasingly murky.
Additionally, the PMLN is also dithering on seat adjustments with the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) in Punjab and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan in Sindh.