PML-N, PPP announce to joint contest by-elections

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have decided to contest upcoming by-elections together.

Details that emerged on Saturday indicate that both parties agreed to field the runner-up from the previous election in these by-elections. This arrangement was announced by former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi during a joint press conference in Islamabad, following a meeting between the delegations of both parties.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf stated that the meeting was held under the instructions of senior leaders of both parties and expressed gratitude to the country’s Prime Minister for helping reach a consensus on the by-elections. Abbasi emphasized that the alliance between PML-N and PPP should be clear to the entire country and noted that both parties would support each other’s candidates.

Under the agreement, joint candidates will be fielded in six National Assembly constituencies and three provincial constituencies.

The party that came second in each constituency during the 2024 general election will nominate the joint candidate. Out of the nine seats included in this arrangement, eight will be contested by PML-N candidates and one by a PPP candidate.

The PPP will field a candidate for the vacant NA-185 seat in Dera Ghazi Khan, previously held by Zartaj Gul, with support from PML-N. In Faisalabad, PML-N will field candidates in two National Assembly constituencies—NA-96 and NA-104—and one Provincial Assembly seat, PP-98, all under its election symbol, the lion. In Wazirabad, PML-N will nominate a joint candidate for NA-66, formerly held by Ahmed Chattha.

Following the passing of Mian Azhar, PML-N will also contest the vacant NA-129 seat in Lahore. In Sahiwal’s NA-143 constituency, the joint candidate will represent PML-N. Both parties will also support PML-N candidates in PP-87 Mianwali and PP-203 Sahiwal, with voters from both parties expected to vote for the lion symbol.

No by-election will take place in NA-175, Muzaffargarh, due to a stay order from the Lahore High Court. The seat became vacant following the disqualification of Jamshed Dasti.