RAWALPINDI: Proving the old adage - there are no permanent friends or foes in politics - major political players from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz(PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) are looking for ways to cooperate during the upcoming local government elections.

According to sources, PPP Rawalpindi Chapter and the ruling PML-N are working to make seat adjustments in more than 20 union councils of the city.

In the 2013 general elections, Awami Muslim League’s (AML) Sheikh Rashid Ahmed won from NA-55 with the support of Imran Khan’s PTI and for local government elections, AML and PTI have decided to launch joint candidates.

AML President MNA Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told Dawn that in the garrison city, joint candidates would be fielded by PTI and his party.

PML-N leaders averse to making deals with PTI

“The decision was made during my meeting with Imran Khan, a few days ago,” he said. He said that names of the candidates would be announced soon.

Sheikh Rashid ruled out any possibility of making an adjustment deal with either PPP or PML-N.

“The PML-N has failed to deliver over the last eight years and could not even save the city from floods,” he said.

Local PTI leader Zahid Kazmi confirmed that the PTI would field joint candidates with AML in NA-55. The PPP is also engaging in discussions with PTI for seat to seat adjustment in various union councils, especially those which fall in NA-52 and NA-56.

Both PPP and PTI are opposed to the PML-N in this area and PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi is very vocal in his opposition of these parties.

A senior local leader of the PML-N said that in some areas, seat adjustments, even with the PTI could be an option. He said that this is especially possible in Dhoke Kala Khan where PML-N’s Raja Nasir Awan and PTI’s Shabir Awan will contest the elections for chairman and vice chairman, supporting one another.

“In many other areas, PML-N and PTI candidates are expected to contest the elections jointly, especially in Satellite Town and New Kattarian areas where political affiliations of families overlap,” he said.

However, the PML-N leader said that his party preferred to make deals with the PPP and JI, rather than PTI.

Former MNA and PML-N veteran Malik Shakil Awan said the party would not form overall alliances but seat to seat adjustment are likely to be made in some union councils.

“However, I will clarify that no deals would be made with the PTI at any cost. The PML-N has more than 40 aspirants for LG polls in each union council,” he said.

On the other hand, the PPP Rawalpindi Chapter is facing a shortage of candidates and is attempting to forge alliances with all parties.

A senior PPP leader told Dawn that the party is negotiating with PTI for adjustments in Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Sadiqabad and the union councils adjacent to the cantonment and in other areas including Dhoke Dalal, Satellite Town, Sarafa Bazaar and Purana Qila. PPP is also expected to make adjustment deals with PML-N.

PPP Rawalpindi City President Amir Fida Paracha told Dawn that local government polls are always reflective of local politics.

“The candidates would make arrangements according to local politics in their union council. But the PPP has not formed alliances with other parties,” he said.

He refuted claims of negotiations taking place between PPP and PTI for the upcoming elections and said that any such claim is premature as the party is yet to finalise candidates.

However, PTI leader Zahid Kazmi admitted that the PPP and PTI would be working together in many union councils, in the upcoming elections, to defeat the ruling PML-N. He said other parties such as JI are also in contact with the PTI.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Rawalpindi Amir Shamsur Rehman Swati told Dawn that JI and PTI had reached an understanding for local government elections but the party is open to negotiations with other parties as well.

“Seat to seat adjustments or alliances would be made according to local politics. We do not want to divide voters along party lines at the union council levels so we will be working with other parties as well,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2015

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