Pakistan People Party hints at electoral alliance with Imran Khan’s party ahead of elections

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 2 (ANI): The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has expressed its willingness to form an electoral alliance with its arch-rival, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to counter its former ally, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Dawn News reported on Thursday.

It reported quoting Pakistan’s Punjab PPP acting President Rana Farooq Saeed at a press conference, “We may enter into an (electoral) alliance with other parties, including the PTI, against the PML-N.”

This comes after the PML-N leader stated that they intend to contest elections in Sindh by collaborating with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and the Grand Democratic Alliance.

Saeed, accompanied by Shehzad Cheema and others, said the PPP is prepared to confront the challenges posed by political rivals regarding electoral alliances with other parties.

He added that in politics, electoral alliances are formed and dissolved, as it’s a part of the political process and not driven by personal enmity. He said that the world would not accept the election results if any party was kept out of the January 2024 electoral contest.

In a reference to the PTI role in May 9 attacks on military installations, he said those who were involved in the hooliganism must be penalised but those who had been only silent spectators during the incidents should be forgiven and that innocent PTI workers should not be barred from taking part in the elections.

“Don’t do pick and choose. Allow all to contest the polls. Ensure free and fair polls if you wish the save the state.”

He blamed the PML-N for attempting to keep the PTI out of the electoral race.

Saeed said that it seemed that the polls would be held because some forces had been active.

Meanwhile, following the continuous appeals to announce the date for general elections in Pakistan, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) finally announced on Thursday that general elections will be held on February 11 next year.

The date of the elections was shared with the Supreme Court today by the lawyer for the country’s poll body during the hearing of petitions calling for timely elections across the country, reported Geo News.

The electoral body’s counsel, Sajeel Swati, said the process of drawing constituencies would be completed by January 29 paving the way for polls. He made this revelation as the apex court resumed hearing a set of petitions calling for holding elections within 90 days after the dissolution of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, Dawn reported.

“Elections in the country will be held in the country (after) completion of delimitation on November 30,” ECP’s lawyer told the three-member bench.