Lahore:
Ruling coalition parties PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party have vowed to jointly contest the by-elections in Punjab on July 17 and withdraw their nominations for all the 20 vacant seats.,
According to media reports, the decision was announced by PML-N Punjab cabinet members Ataullah Tarar, Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan and PPP-affiliated provincial minister Syed Hassan Murtaza at a joint press conference at the PPP secretariat. Done during
On the occasion, Provincial Minister Syed Hassan Murtaza said that his party has decided to withdraw its candidate in the by-elections in the wider national interest but his party will contest against PML-N in the next general elections. Will take
The announcement of PPP’s support for PML-N came at a time when a PPP leader had made a statement yesterday in which he had handed over the portfolios of his ministers to his ally PML-N. But under various pretexts, the PPP’s provincial cabinet members were criticized for delaying handing over portfolios to ministries.
The PML-N leader assured the PPP leader that the ministries of his party ministers would be announced immediately after the approval of the provincial budget.
During the press conference, Atallah Tarar thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his father Asif Ali Zardari for supporting the PML-N candidates in the Punjab by-elections.
Atallah Tarar said that if Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto had not played their role in removing former Prime Minister Imran Khan from the PM’s post, PML-N could not have succeeded in forming a government in Punjab.
The PML-N leader further said that he would not only accompany the PPP in the elections but would also continue to accompany them in matters of governance.
He announced as Home Minister that there would be a complete ban on display of arms under Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code in 20 constituencies of the province by-elections and action would be taken against those violating the ban beyond political affiliation. While 2 armed guards or security personnel as required will be deployed for each candidate contesting the elections.
On the occasion, Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Malik Ahmad Khan claimed that PTI would be defeated in all the 20 constituencies in the by-elections.
Responding to a question from a journalist, the provincial minister said that the economic condition of the country and the province was not hidden from anyone but the present government preferred to save the state and the economy.
He lamented the economic policies of the previous government, saying that the PTI government had not imposed taxes in the last eight months of its rule in violation of the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund and had announced subsidies which Destroyed the economy.
Malik Mohammad Ahmad Khan criticized the leadership of PTI and PML-Q for obstructing the election of Punjab Chief Minister and not allowing him to present the provincial budget in the Punjab Assembly after that. He described the measures as an attempt to spread chaos.
The provincial minister said that the by-elections would prove to be an expression of distrust in the politics of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
