LAHORE: The PML-N and PPP have awarded tickets to their respective candidates for two by-poll seats in Punjab, showing that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) member parties are finding it difficult to reach a consensus to contest next month’s by-elections jointly.

According to PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah, the party awarded tickets to Noshin Iftikhar and Talat Manzoor Cheema for NA-75 and PP-51, respectively. He said both Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif had approved these nominees.

The PPP has awarded tickets to Sumera Sahi and Ijaz Suma for NA-75 and PP-51.

Earlier, PML-N leaders, especially Maryam Nawaz and Ahsan Iqbal, had said that the PDM’s constituent parties would try to contest the by-polls jointly.

When asked if his party awarded tickets to its candidates after failing to reach a consensus with the PML-N, PPP Punjab Secretary General Chaudhry Manzoor told Dawn that his party would hold negotiations with the PML-N over the matter in a couple of days. He said every party was authorised to nominate its candidate on anyby-poll seat.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2021