16 PML-N MPAs indirectly favour Alvi, show presence of ‘silent forward bloc’ in party

As much as 16 members of provincial assembly (MPAs) of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) indirectly favoured Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Dr Arif Alvi in the presidential election, giving wind to the notion that a ‘silent forward bloc’ exists in the former’s ranks, according to a local media outlet.

A PML-N leader said, “The MPAs whose ballots have been rejected deliberately wasted them to keep the vote count of PML-N-backed candidate Maulana Fazlur Rehman low to benefit Dr Alvi.”

“It is believed that those close to Mr Elahi in the PML-N chose to discard their votes to indirectly benefit Alvi,” the leader added.

Another PML-N leader said, “I must highlight the genius of the man who came up with a strategy different from the speaker’s poll, making 16 PML-N lawmakers discard their votes instead of voting for Dr Alvi.”