As election fervor takes hold, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif made a significant appearance in Quetta on Tuesday. The three-time former prime minister, who returned to Pakistan on October 21 after a four-year self-imposed exile, has assumed the role of spearheading the party’s election campaign and establishing new political alliances in anticipation of the upcoming general elections.
Accompanied by party President Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz during his Quetta visit, Nawaz is expected to court the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) for a potential electoral alliance leading up to the February eight polls.
Should an understanding be reached between the parties, they would jointly participate in the general elections in the province, determining the chief minister through consensus.
Reports suggest that BAP’s Jam Kamal may switch allegiances to join Nawaz, contingent on being appointed as the chief minister. Similarly, JUI-F has proposed Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri as their condition for supporting the PML-N if he is appointed as the province’s chief executive.
During the visit, the PML-N delegation, led by Nawaz, engaged with various stakeholders, including a BAP delegation comprising Nawabzada Khalid Magsi and Manzoor Kakar. The meeting also involved Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) President Khalid Magsi, National Party’s Abdul Malik Baloch, and JUI-F’s provincial leadership.
Other anticipated meetings for Nawaz include discussions with Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Balochistan Assembly Speaker Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, and other key figures.
It’s noteworthy that PML-N and BAP have a history of discord, given that BAP was formed in 2018 by dissidents from Nawaz’s party and the PML-Q.
Recent reports indicate that significant political entities may align with the PML-N, exploring seat adjustments with BAP.
This development follows the PML-N’s earlier announcement of an electoral alliance with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for the upcoming general elections in Sindh.
Responding to these political maneuvers, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari suggested that Nawaz should “focus on Lahore” and stay there to address its issues, highlighting the growing divergence between the PML-N and PPP since the dissolution of the national assembly in August. The two parties have engaged in a heated verbal exchange in recent times.
