With the race for seats ahead of next year's general elections heats up, political parties have started holding discussions with other political parties and groups over seat adjustment as they vie to get their foot through the door in the provincial and national assembly. While big parties such as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) seek to carve out an enclave for themselves, relatively smaller parties such as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) are hoping they can capitalise concentrations of their support for a big share in the upcoming elected government by forging alliances and adjusting seats with large political parties in three main provinces.
So far, MQM-P has planned seat adjustments with the PML-N, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) in Sindh, a senior MQM-P member Zahid Malik shared with The Friday Times.
Malik said that the MQM-P plans to field candidates from its stronghold in urban centres of Sindh, apart from fielding candidates in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) -- with support from the three main parties including the PML-N, the JUI-F and the GDA.
MQM-P, Malik said, has received positive signals on jointly contesting from these provinces in meetings between the heads of these political parties. This will help MQM-P expand its influence beyond its traditional stronghold in the urban centres of Sindh, particularly Karachi and Hyderabad.
Malik said that one major aim of the MQM-P was to give the PPP in Sindh a tough time. This is where its alliance with the GDA will help.
In Punjab, the party plans to join hands with PML-N to contest seats against the PPP, the PTI and other religio-political factions.
Similarly, in planning seat adjustments with the JUI-F, it seeks to support the religio-political party in tackling the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the PPP in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A final plan in this regard is expected to be formally announced after a meeting of the party's central executive body, the Rabita Committee, scheduled to be held soon.
Malik said that MQM-P is confident they will be able to overcome internal schisms to give the PPP in Sindh a tough time. The party hopes to field strong candidates and secure many seats from the densely populated Karachi, Hyderabad and other areas of Sindh.
While the party plans to contest the upcoming elections from across the country, it has high hopes to secure seats from the three provinces of Sindh, Punjab and KP.
In this regard, Mali said that MQM-P's chapters in Punjab and KP are conducting interviews of candidates to award tickets. The party, he said, is expected to complete the process of awarding tickets to aspiring candidates this month in both provinces.
Before the party's disintegration, the party's former supremo, Altaf Hussain, used to exercise ‘veto power’ on candidates. But after a controversial speech, the party's Rabita Committee decided to make all decisions regarding candidates jointly. In the past year, the various factions of MQM united under the banner of MQM-P and decided to contest the upcoming elections together and nominate strong candidates.
Political observers, however, say that since MQM does not enjoy much of a vote bank in either Punjab or K, they have resorted to making seat adjustments and alliances with other parties.
Before its disintegration, Altaf Hussain's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) allied with the PPP in the centre and Sindh after the elections.
But after parting ways with Altaf, the party continued its tradition of partnering up with whichever party was in power in the province and centre by allying with the PTI in the centre and the PPP in the province. But ultimately the MQM-P decided to unilaterally end their partnership with the PTI and side with the PPP under the umbrella of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) that led to the PTI being thrown out of power.
Now, the party will contest against these parties from different provinces.
PML-N, IPP agree on seat adjustment
The PML-N and Istehkaam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) have started contacts over seat adjustment ahead of next year's general elections.
In this regard, a meeting was held between former prime minister and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and IPP Chairman Jehangir Tareen in Model Town, Lahore.
Sources claimed that during their 45-minute meeting the other day, they discussed the evolving political situation and seat adjustment. Rana Sanaullah and Ayaz Sadiq of PML-N and Aoun Chaudhry of IPP also attended the meeting.
The two sides agreed on seat adjustment. The number of seats and specific seats will be determined in upcoming meetings.
Previously, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif met with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chairman Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
Nawaz and Hussain had met after 15 years after the former visited the latter's home.
During their 40-minute-long meeting, both sides decided to cooperate during elections and on seat adjustment.