KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) may have cause for concern after their old allies, Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) decided on Tuesday to side with the ruling party’s arch-rivals – the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

PML-F as well as the National Peoples Party (NPP) agreed to contest elections in Sindh with PML-N, DawnNews reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference with PML-F chief Pir Pagaro and NPP chief Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said they will make all-out efforts to include other opposition parties including Jamaat-e-Islami in this alliance as well – possibly posing a credible counter to the PPP in its traditional stronghold of Sindh.

Earlier, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, both members of the PML-N, also met with a PML-F delegation at Kingri House. Both parties agreed to work with “full cooperation”.

Nawaz also visited the home of the late Professor Ghafoor Ahmed, of Jamaat-e-Islami, to express his condolences.

Speaking to media representatives, the PML-N chief said that Karachi was being held ‘hostage’. He added that Chief Election Commisioner Justice (Retd) Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim should pay attention to Karachi in particular – and that if polls were not held in a transparent manner in the city, the results would not be recognised.

PML-F chief Pir Pagaro, meanwhile, lashed out against former ally PPP, criticising its five year rule.

Responding to a question, Nawaz also told media representatives that if the country wanted to see peace, then negotiations with the Tehrik-i-Taliban were necessary.

Earlier, the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) decided ‘in principle’ to work together in the coming election.

The two major opposition parties reached the agreement during a meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the former’s residence in Lahore on Monday.