LAHORE: Based on ‘assurances’ from powerful quarters that May 14 elections to the Punjab Assembly are nowhere in sight, the Sharifs have not awarded party tickets to any aspirant, prompting the rival PTI to claim that PML-N has lost respect among the masses by opting to boycott the polls.

Thursday was the last day for submitting party tickets to the Election Commission of Pakistan for allotment of electoral symbols.

The submission of no party tickets by PML-N aspirants means that if the elections are held, the party will have two choices — either to boycott the process or ask candidates to contest independently with its support.

The PML-N has told aspirants that since Punjab elections seem doubtful in May, they should not be worried about party tickets.

Sharifs trying to save themselves from humiliation at people’s hands, says Imran

An insider told Dawn that the Sharifs were ‘super confident’ after receiving a ‘blanket assurance’ from the establishment that elections would not be held next month.

The source said that in addition to the powers-that-be, parties in the federal coalition were unanimous in their opinion that they would do everything in their power to forestall next month’s polls. If the PML-N had any doubts, they would have certainly awarded tickets to its candidates, the source added.

“The Sharifs think that even if the SC sticks to its decision to hold the Punjab elections on May 14 after the failure of political parties to reach a consensus on the same-day polls for all provincial and national assemblies, the federal coalition with the help of the powers-that-be would find a way to achieve its target,” he claimed.

A federal cabinet member told Dawn that the ruling coalition was ready for any sacrifice to forestall elections that were being held only in ‘one province’.

“Although PML-N leaders and former lawmakers have submitted their nomination papers for the May 14 polls, party Quaid Nawaz Sharif and others have decided not to award tickets to the aspirants to give a clear message to the apex court that PML-N does not accept its decision,” he said.

The PML-N, however, has not boycotted the elections as it has not asked its candidates to withdraw their papers.

PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz and PM Shehbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shehbaz are in the run. Ms Nawaz is contesting on four seats while Mr Hamza on three.

‘Big coward’

Reacting to the PML-N’s decision on tickets, PTI chief Imran Khan termed Nawaz Sharif a “big coward”, saying the “absconder” was leading a party of cowards.

“Seeing its defeat ‘written on the wall’, the Sharifs and PDM are running away from elections,” Mr Khan said while talking to supporters during Iftar on Thursday.

Meanwhile, PTI central president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said PML-N had lost its respect and worth among the masses by keeping away from the May 14 elections.

Mr Elahi was speaking at a meeting with former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Overseas Pakistanis Hong Kong president Chaudhry Gulzar Mohammad, former Lahore Bar president Asim Cheema, Chaudhry Akram and former minister Muhammad Akram at his residence.

Mr Elahi said PML-N is running away from elections just to save itself from a humiliating defeat at the hands of people.

Lashing out at the Sharifs’ decision not to award the party tickets, he observed that PML-N wanted to create an undemocratic process in the country.

The PTI president said PDM was ready for negotiations on the Supreme Court’s order but not prepared to hold elections.

“If incompetent rulers do not give up their stubbornness, the consequences can be serious,” he cautioned and added that political parties never closed doors of negotiations.

Mr Elahi declared that Pakistan’s politics was incomplete without Imran Khan and asserted that PDM would have to negotiate with Imran Khan in any case. He said everyone needed to find a safe way for the welfare of people.

Meanwhile, PTI leader Dr Yasmin Rashid said that those PTI aspirants who did not get party tickets for Punjab Assembly elections should work to play their role in the National Assembly and local government elections.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2023