The PML-N, one of the main opposition parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), has decided to contest the upcoming Senate polls, a private TV channel reported on Monday.
The development came during a joint parliamentary meeting of MNAs and senators chaired by Maryam Nawaz at Parliament House on Monday. The meeting was attended by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ahsan Iqbal, and Rana Sanaullah, among others. Photos representing Shahbaz Sharif and Khawaja Asif were placed on chairs in a bid to show solidarity with the imprisoned party leaders.
The TV channel reported that Maryam informed the party’s parliamentary group of the decision to contest the Senate elections. Majority of the party leaders supported the move.
Earlier, the party had also announced it would take part in by-polls. Late last year, the 11-party opposition alliance had sought resignations from all its lawmakers from the parliament and provincial assemblies. The deadline was January 31. But earlier this month, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided to not only take part in by-polls but also in the Senate elections. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had suggested the PDM bring no-confidence motions against the PTI governments at the Centre and in the provinces.
