PML-N, IPP 'strike deal' on seat adjustment for Feb 8 polls

• Tareen to be accommodated on NA-149 Multan seat.
• Aleem Khan would be adjusted on NA-117 Lahore.
• Farrukh Habib not to be part of the adjustment formula.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have struck a deal on seat adjustment for the general elections slated for February 8, The News reported citing sources.

Negotiations had long been going on between the PML-N and IPP but they could not reach a decision yet as the latter had demanded more seats than the former could offer, the sources said. 

They said the PML-N had now agreed to accommodate IPP on seven National Assembly and 11 provincial assembly seats, against the IPP’s demand for 13 NA seats and 22 provincial seats.

The party sources said IPP Patron-in-Chief Jahangir Khan Tareen would be accommodated on NA-149 Multan seat, instead of Lodhran. However, Tareen would still contest election from NA-155 Lodhran seat, where PML-N candidate Siddique Baloch would be his opponent candidate, the sources said.

A formal announcement in this regard is likely on Tuesday (today). The party sources said Aleem Khan would be adjusted on NA-117 Lahore, Auon Chaudhry on NA-128 Lahore, Nauman Langrial from Sahiwal, Amir Kiyani Islamabad, Ghulam Sarwar Khan Rawalpindi and Engineer Gul Asghar would be adjusted for Khushab National Assembly seat.

However, according to sources, IPP’s Firdous Ashiq, Humayun Akhtar and Rana Nazir will not accommodated. Farrukh Habib from Faisalabad and Noureen Shaukat from Sahiwal would also not be part of the adjustment formula, added sources.

According to sources, other IPP leaders, who would be adjusted by the PML-N, include Ammar Siddique from PP-12, Raja Yawar Kamal PP-24, Ameer Haider Sanga PP-81, Ajmal Cheema PP-98, Ali Akhtar PP-106, Hashim Dogar PP-180, Aleem Khan PP-149 Lahore, Nauman Falak Sher PP-204, Iftikhar Gilani PP-250, Niaz Gashgori PP-277 and Rafaqat Gilani from PP-282 constituency.