Deprived of Senate tickets, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q)’s forward bloc, also known as the Unification Bloc, has asked for more than 30 tickets for general elections from the Sharifs as a fair deal to lend support to the PML-Nawaz Senate candidates to sew up success on March 2.
A delegation of Unification Bloc members met PML-N President Nawaz Sharif at his residence in Raiwind on Tuesday and voluntarily withdrew their demand to secure at least one Senate ticket, but tabled a proposal for the general elections.
However, some of the bloc members came down hard on the PML-N for deliberately keeping them out of the Senate consultation process and hinted at defecting to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) during the meeting.
The meeting aimed to take a fresh oath of loyalty and weigh up bilateral relations amid brewing differences between the bloc and the PML-N. Sources privy to the developments told Pakistan Today that the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and the Unification Bloc, also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, was arranged by a common friend to help them reach consensus on Senate elections and other issues, including tickets for the general elections. Unofficial sources claimed more than 40 members of bloc held talks with the Sharifs but other reports said the number of attendees was not more than 15.
Insiders said the Unification Bloc also demanded a share of the Punjab development funds in their constituencies as encouragement for their voters ahead of the elections. It also asked for an even quota in public sector appointments promised to bloc members, said the insiders. Sources said the PML-N chief told the bloc members that their valid demands would be entertained but made no commitments regarding tickets for general elections. However, he hinted that bloc members would be rewarded for their “selfless sacrifice”, sources said. Nawaz also said the government did nothing for the common man during the last four years and remained hell bent on serving its own ulterior motives. He said the government spread disappointment, sorrow, inflation and load shedding during its corruption-ridden rule. PML-N Central Information Secretary Mushahid Ullah Khan told Pakistan Today that the meeting’s agenda was Senate tickets, but as far as election tickets were concerned, the PML-N would do justice by awarding tickets for general elections soon.
