Daily Times

PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided to jointly contest by-elections.

Speaking to media in Lahore, Iqbal hoped that the PDM’s member parties would offer ‘complete support’ during by-elections on seats that were won by the PML-N. “We have decided not to field a candidate in Sindh for by-elections on seats that were won by the PPP,” he added.

A few days earlier, the leaders of the 11-party alliance had announced that parties that are a part of the PDM would take part in the by-polls, but a decision related to the Senate elections will be taken later.

The development comes only days before the by-polls are set to take place on two National Assembly and five provincial assemblies’ seats.

Meanwhile, PML-N leader Khurram Dastagir, speaking to the media said that the party held a meeting today to discuss the upcoming by-elections. “The resignations will be given after the Senate elections,” he said, adding that they will be submitted at a time when the party considers the Parliament no longer functional. Dastagir, clarifying the opposition’s stance, said that their aim was to hold transparent elections, not submit resignations. However, he said that the Opposition would not back down from resigning. “These are the milestones to reach our goal and we will devise our strategy according to the situation at the time.” By-polls for Sindh Assembly’s PS-43 (Sanghar III) and PS-88 (Malir II) and Balochistan Assembly’s PB-20 (Pishin III) will be held on February 16, 2021, while the voters in NA-45 (Kurram I) and NA-75 (Sialkot IV) and Punjab Assembly’s PP-51 (Gujranwala I) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s PK-63 (Nowshera III) will elect their representatives on February 19, 2021.