• Shehbaz Sharif to arrive in Karachi today to finalise seat adjustment deal
• PML-N wants MQM-P to accommodate its allies JUI-F and JUP

KARACHI: A key electoral arrangement between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the Feb 8 general elections is yet to shape up despite talks that began last month, it emerged on Wednesday.

Sources within the two parties told Dawn that the PML-N was seeking the MQM-P’s support for five National Assembly and ‘at least 10’ provincial assembly seats against its offer for only three NA and six PA constituencies, respectively.

As the process to file nomination papers has already ended, the second tier leaderships of the two parties who had been holding talks for seat adjustments are now looking towards their top leadership for a final decision.

The situation has drawn PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif’s attention, who’s scheduled to reach Karachi on Thursday [today] with multiple agendas including an engagement with the MQM-P leadership to finalise the deal on the election alliance, the sources said.

The two parties held their first round of talks on Nov 22 to settle seat adjustments and identify NA, PA constituencies for Feb 8 elections after they announced their alliance in Lahore on November 7.

However, what came as a surprise for the MQM-P in the talks was the demand of the PML-N for support for its other allies including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F), Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan-Noorani (JUP-N) as well as for the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) for Karachi constituencies.

“The PML-N is eyeing five NA and at least 10 PA seats in Karachi,” said a source privy to the details of the ongoing talks.

“Among those NA seats is NA-242 for Shehbaz Sharif where the MQM-P has fielded Mustafa Kamal. Similarly, it also wants MQM-P to withdraw from NA-240 where it wants Anas Noorani of the JUP-N to contest and NA-239 where it wants another ally, the JUI-F, to field its candidate. In two constituencies of Malir — NA-229 and NA-230 — the PML-N wants its senior leaders Qadir Bux Kalmati and Shah Muhammad Shah to contest the polls,” the source added.

However, the MQM-P so far has stuck to its initial position and made it clear to the PML-N that it had only agreed to support its candidates for Feb 8 elections and not its other allies.

To make things ‘practical’ and ‘win-win situation’ for both the parties, the MQM-P offered another proposition to the PML-N.

“We have offered our support to the PML-N in three NA constituencies of Karachi,” said senior MQM-P leader Amin ul Haq, who is leading talks with the PML-N.

“The constituencies include in from Malir and one in Lyari. For NA-242 we have already announced Mustafa Kamal as our candidate. We have also offered support to the PML-N in other cities like Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and Sukkur. We have suggested that they should contest all NA seats in these cities and we will field candidates only for the Sindh Assembly constituencies,” he added.

However, he ruled out any ‘deadlock’ in the talks, saying things would finally shape up amicably.

In case of Sindh Assembly seats, however, the PML-N in talks with the MQM-P solely focused on its candidates without bargaining for its allies. But, in this case too, the MQM-P has so far offered only six seats to the PML-N, which wanted to field its candidates in at least 10 constituencies.

“The key interests of the party [PML-N] lies in Korangi and West districts for the Sindh Assembly seats,” said another source.

“The MQM-P only shows flexibility in the South district for the PML-N when it comes to Sindh Assembly seats. In so far meetings, the two sides have only exchanged notes and shared their sides of stories. Things, we believe, would shape up at the upper level.”

Although nothing promising has so far emerged for the PML-N in the talks, the party hopes that it will reach a consensual decision with the MQM-P.

The fresh development further raised their hopes on Wednesday evening when the PML-N announced that Shehbaz Sharif will be visiting Karachi on Thursday (today). He’s expected to interact with top MQM-P leadership on talks and give a final nod to the arrangements.

“The talks [with MQM-P] are on and proposals from both sides are being discussed,” said Nasiruddin Mahmood, the PML-N general secretary of Karachi chapter — one of the party’s leaders who held so far talks with the MQM-P.

While confirming Mr Sharif’s visit to Karachi on Thursday, Mr Mahmood, who’s also the party candidate for the Sindh Assembly seat from PS-91, said that both the parties were very much hopeful to come up with an agreed decision in the next few days.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023