IPP to 'share list of constituencies' with PML-N for seat adjustment today

• IPP to demand adjustment on 20 NA seats: sources. 
• PML-N leadership has concerns over the seat adjustment.
• IPP also desirous of adjustment in 44 PA constituencies.

LAHORE: Amid reports of a possible seat adjustment with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) has prepared a list of constituencies of the national and Punjab Assembly where it wants to field its candidates, The News reported Monday. 

The Jahangir Tareen-led party's committee, which consists of Ishaq Khakwani, Awn Chaudhry and Nauman Langrial, has prepared the list of candidates, which will be given to the PMLN’s committee on Monday (today), revealed sources. 

With less than two months left in countrywide polls, political parties are busy in electioneering ahead of the announcement of the election schedule, reportedly seeking electoral alliances and seat adjustments with different parties across the country.

Recently, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, along with a delegation, met Tareen in which both the parties agreed to cooperate for seat adjustment in the upcoming elections and also formed committees.

According to different media reports, IPP will demand adjustment on 20 seats of the National Assembly from PML-N, out of which 19 constituencies belong to Punjab and one to Karachi. Similarly, the IPP was also desirous of seat adjustment with the PML-N in 44 constituencies of the Punjab Assembly.

However, sources in the IPP claimed that the figures reported by different TV channels were exaggerated and the party will ask for seat adjustment in about eight to 10 NA constituencies and 15 to 20 PA constituencies.

They said the main seats on which the IPP will demand seat adjustment from PML-N included the seats of Tareen, Aleem Khan, Langrial, Ishaq Khan Khakwani and other central leaders of the IPP.

Sources in the PML-N claimed the party leadership has concerns over the seat adjustment with IPP, adding that Ayaz Sadiq had defeated Aleem Khan in a nail-biting battle of votes in Lahore, hence, it raises the question of why would PML-N give this seat to the IPP leader in upcoming polls. 

Similarly, IPP leader Khakwani contested the general elections in 2018 on a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ticket from NA-163 (Vehari) but lost the seat to PML-N candidate Syed Sajid Mehdi.

When contacted, Gohar Aziz, the spokesperson for Aleem Khan, refused to confirm the number of constituencies mentioned in media reports. He said the list was prepared and will be shared with the media once both parties agree to it.

The scribe tried to contact the PML-N leadership, including its Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, about the seat adjustment with the IPP but most of the PML-N leaders didn’t attend the calls.