The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) announced on Saturday that they would contest the upcoming by-elections under a joint arrangement, vowing to support each other’s candidates in different constituencies.
The announcement came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) disqualified 12 lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab following their conviction in cases linked to the May 9, 2023 violence. The disqualified lawmakers represented eight National Assembly and four Punjab Assembly constituencies, paving the way for fresh by-polls.
At a press conference in Islamabad, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi were joined by PPP stalwarts, including former National Assembly speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari, to unveil the understanding reached between the two ruling coalition partners.
“The PML-N and PPP will stand together in these by-elections. Wherever a PPP candidate is in the running, the PML-N will extend its support, and wherever a PML-N candidate contests, the PPP will back them,” Abbasi declared. He described the alliance as a reaffirmation of democratic values and said the formula for seat adjustments had been agreed upon in advance.
Ashraf, echoing the sentiment, said the leadership of both parties had already met and finalised a “predetermined formula” for the upcoming polls. Explaining further, he noted: “If a PPP candidate finished runner-up in a constituency in the last elections, the PML-N will support them this time. Conversely, if a PML-N candidate was the runner-up, then the PPP will throw its weight behind them.”
He emphasized that this consensus reflected complete agreement between the top leadership of both parties, ensuring clarity and unity at the grassroots level. “Now there will be no confusion between us or our candidates,” the former prime minister said.
The PPP has expressed interest in fielding candidates on six of the vacant seats, including NA-143 and PP-203 in Sahiwal, NA-185 in Dera Ghazi Khan, and NA-96, NA-104, and PP-98 in Faisalabad. Applications have already been sought from potential candidates for these constituencies.
Abbasi underlined that the partnership between the two parties was not merely electoral, but also symbolic of national unity. “The people of Pakistan must know that we are allies. Our leadership takes decisions wisely and responsibly, always keeping the bigger picture in mind,” he said.
The railways minister further noted that the spirit of cooperation extended across provinces. “Sindh and Punjab wish each other well, and we also send our positive wishes to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, especially in the wake of the recent floods in the northern regions,” he added.
The joint announcement marks yet another instance of collaboration between the PML-N and PPP — two historic rivals who, in recent years, have increasingly worked together under coalition arrangements at the federal level.
