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PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. — Photo by AFP

LAHORE: PML-N president Nawaz Sharif said on Monday his party might take along the Functional and Likeminded factions of the Muslim League and Jamaat-i-Islami in the coming elections.

“We’ll feel comfortable by having seat adjustment with the Likeminded and Functional factions of the PML and the JI,” he said in reply to a question about his party’s potential allies in the polls.

Talking to a group of journalists and intellectuals, Mr Sharif ruled out any possibility of a Bangladesh model-like setup in Pakistan, saying those talking about such things were wasting their time.

“There is no chance of delay in elections as it is not in the interest of the government or any other institution,” he said.

The PML leader expressed the hope that polls would be held on time and things would move forward smoothly after that.

Asked whether the suicide attack on JI leader Qazi Husain Ahmed aimed to deter politicians from running their election campaigns, he said that the risk of terror attacks would create problems in electioneering.

Answering a question why he was not considering an alliance with President Asif Ali Zardari though his party had been allegedly acting as friendly opposition in parliament, Mr Sharif said entering into an election alliance with People’s Party would be tantamount to paving way for Imran Khan to come to power.

To a question, he accused the PPP of indulging in pre-poll rigging and urged the Election Commission to take notice of it.

He warned that rigging could create grave issues and advised the government to hold elections in a fair and transparent manner.

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