- Says seat adjustment among political parties’ part of election procedure
- Says all parties should be allowed to partake in electoral process and let people decide who they wanted in power
LAHORE/FAISALABAD: Former Interior Minister and senior PML-N leader Sanaullah on Saturday claimed that his party would win around 120 to 125 seats out of a total 141 in Punjab in the upcoming general elections 2024, saying the PML-N would form the next government in the Centre with a simple majority.
During his interaction with journalists in Lahore on Saturday, the PML-N stalwart said: “We are in the winning position. We are regaining our position and it is not out of the blue.”
“You are displeased as it is not happening now whatever happened to us in the 2018 elections,” he said while referring to the PTI criticism.
Stressing the need for a level playing field, Rana Sanaullah said that “all political parties” should be allowed to contest the 2024 general elections. The PML-N leader and former interior minister said: “All political parties will partake in the electoral process. People will decide [who they wanted in power].”
Two mainstream parties — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — have repeatedly been complaining that they were being denied a level playing field in the run-up to elections and attempts are being made to pave the way for the PML-N’s return to power ahead of general elections scheduled to be held on February 8, 2024.
Amid reports of minus Imran Khan elections, PTI accuses the caretaker government of denying a level playing field. With the election drawing closer, the PTI chairman remains behind bars in Adiala Jail and the party’s leadership claims that they are not allowed to run electioneer.
On the other hand, PPP — a former ally of PML-N in the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led coalition government — also blames Sharifs’ party for denying a level playing field.
Responding to a question, Sanaullah hit back at the PPP and asked if lodging false cases against PML-N’s leadership was a “level playing field”.
The PPP and PTI have been raising concerns over “preferential treatment” being given to the PML-N ahead of the upcoming elections.
Amid accusations by the PPP and PTI, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz’s statement strengthened their doubts this week when he said that there was nothing wrong with maintaining “cordial ties” with the establishment.
Earlier in the day, the former interior minister said that seat adjustment among political parties was part of the election procedure and alternate candidates have been elected in the democratic process where there was space.
“Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will get nothing from the supporters of PML-N in Punjab as the latter is ready to give chance to new candidate in some constituencies of Central Punjab.
Talking to media persons in Faisalabad, Rana Sanaullah said that the PML-N was of the view that it would be better to jointly contest elections with MQM in Karachi. He said that the MQM delegation has not met Nawaz Sharif on directions of anyone.
He said that the PPP did nothing good to MQM in Sindh and it would be better for MQM to make an alliance with the PML-N in the general elections as Nawaz Sharif has vote bank in Karachi.
Rana Sanaullah said that we haven’t single candidate but four to five candidates in the 130 constituencies of Punjab. He said that thousands of applications have been received so far for PML-N ticket.
Those who voted to elected Imran Khan as country’s prime minister brought no-confidence motion against him together with the opposition after supporters of the PTI chief backed down, he added.
The PML-N leader said that one should not forget the mistakes of past, neither remain under its tensity but should learn lesson from them.
He said that in politics, matters can’t be carried ahead without trust and as the democracy will strengthen, the scars of the system would diminish.
Rana Sanaullah admitted that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto extended all out support during the 16-month rule to run the government affairs in better way. He said that he was well aware of the political helplessness of Bilawal and if PPP wants to acquire a seat in Punjab, it would have to adopt anti-PML-N narrative.
He said that the Chairman PPP will not be able to acquire 10 votes if it adopt PML-N supportive narrative.
