The PML-N and PPP on Saturday announced that they would contest the upcoming by-elections together.

PTI’s 12 lawmakers were disqualified in Punjab by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following their conviction in the May 9 (2023) cases. The disqualified lawmakers hailed from eight National Assembly and four Punjab Assembly constituencies. The PPP has shown interest in contesting on six vacant seats — NA-143 and PP-203 (Sahiwal), NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan), and NA-96, NA-104 and PP-98 (Faisalabad) — and sought applications from the interested candidates.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi made the announcement during a press conference in Islamabad with PPP MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari.

“We want to tell our workers and the whole of Pakistan that we are a democracy,” Abbasi said, adding that they would contest the by-polls according to a “predetermined formula”.

“We will contest together. Wherever a PPP candidate is running, the PML-N will support them,” he said. “Wherever a PML-N candidate is running, the PPP will support them.”

Ashraf talked about a meeting between the leadership of both parties regarding the by-elections, stating that a “predetermined formula” had been decided for the polls.

“If a PPP candidate is runner-up in a constituency, federal or provincial, the PML-N will support them,” he stated. “If a PML-N candidate is runner-up in a constituency, then the PPP will support them.”

The PPP leader and former premier said that there was a full agreement between the leaders of both parties, adding that this plan was made on their directions.

“Now there will be no more confusion between us or our candidates,” Ashraf added.

“The people of Pakistan need to know that we are allies,” Abbasi said. “Our leadership makes intelligent decisions. We make sure to say that we are allies in all fora.”

The railways minister said that Sindh and Punjab wished each other well, while both had positive wishes for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, especially amid the recent floods in the northern areas.