LAHORE: The PML-N has chosen not to grant party tickets to several key leaders, including Ayaz Sadiq, for National Assembly seats in Lahore, according to sources on Thursday.
They revealed that the N-league has shortlisted candidates for 12 out of 14 constituencies for the National Assembly in Punjab’s capital, while Naseer Bhatta and Waheed Alam Khan failed to garner the party’s support.
Scheduled for February 8, Pakistan’s elections hold significant importance, with Punjab, boasting the highest number of seats in the lower house, playing a decisive role in the country’s politics. The winner from the province gains an advantage in forming the federal government.
The PML-N has opted not to grant party tickets to former NA speaker Sadiq, Rana Mashhood, Marghoob Ahmad, and Rana Mubashir. However, there are expectations that Sadiq may be offered a ticket in the Senate or a by-election.
Sources mentioned the PML-N’s difficulty in deciding between Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party President Aleem Khan and the party’s Malik Riaz in NA 117, as the two parties allegedly seek a seat adjustment.
To become prime minister for the fourth time, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif may need the support of former PTI leaders Jahangir Khan Tareen and Pervez Khattak, according to analyst Hamid Mir in a November 2023 interview.
For the NA 118, NA 119, and NA 120 seats, prominent candidates like Hamza Shehbaz, Maryam Nawaz, and Sohail Shaukat Butt have been shortlisted. Expected candidates for other constituencies include Sheikh Rohail Asghar (NA 121), Khawaja Saad Rafique (NA 122), Shehbaz Sharif (NA 123), and Attaullah Tarar as a potential name for NA 127, where he might face PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
In the races for NA 128 and NA 129, Hafiz Noman and Mehr Ishtiaq Muslim are leading contenders, while there are speculations that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif might contest elections from NA 130.
