- Party’s spokesman says while PTI won’t forge electoral alliances, it may permit seat adjustments at local level wherever necessary
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected rumours of its possible alliance with other political parties for the upcoming local bodies polls to be held in Punjab and Sindh province, party’s Central Information Secretary Naeemul Haque said on Monday.
In his Twitter message, Naeemul Haque clarified that PTI is not going to form any alliance with other political parties for local bodies elections. Haque, however, added that seat adjustment at local level will be permitted wherever necessary.
Earlier PTI’s Sindh organiser Dr Arif Alvi also said in a Twitter message that his party is not entering into an alliance for local government elections in Sindh province, adding that it has been wrongly reported in the newspapers.
“How can we,” asked Alvi.
Later Alvi also rejected the prospects of an alliance with the Asif Zarfari-led PPP in Punjab province as well.
A section of media on Sunday reported that PTI is entering into a grand anti-PML-N alliance with PPP and other political parties in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
The reports came after a joint meeting attended by PTI’s Punjab Organiser Chaudhry Sarwar, PPP Punjab President Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaquat Baloch, Pakistan Awami Tehreek Secretary General Nawaz Gandapur, Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen Secretary General Raja Nasir Abbas, PPP’s South Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood and Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan Secretary Seneral Pir Ijaz Hashmi.
However, the opposition parties reportedly expressed resolve to eliminate terrorism, solve farmers’ problems, press for transparent elections and foil attempts to rig the elections while praising the army for its operation against terrorists.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on August 26 announced the schedule for the first phase of local bodies elections in Punjab and Sindh, the process of which will commence in September and will come to an end with polls scheduled for October 31.
District Returning Officers (DROs), Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) have already been appointed by ECP for this purpose, and they have been asked to fulfill their duties in accordance with the provision of law and rules and maintain neutrality and impartiality.
