Islamabad (HRNW) The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Tuesday decided against participating in the by-elections on National Assembly seats on the suggestion of its coalition partners – the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held a detailed consultation with party leaders on Tuesday.
Media sources said the PPP has decided not to participate in the by-elections following in the footsteps of the PDM.
Earlier, the PPP maintained that the field should not be left open for the PTI in the by-elections. But PDM parties did not agree with it.
The PML-N was of the opinion that participating in these elections for a short period will waste funds, energy and time.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, after a meeting with the leaders of the PML-N, consulted his own party leaders, after which they also decided to step back from the polls.
The multi-party coalition of the PDM, that collectively ousted Imran Khan from the office of the prime minister last April, has already announced not to participate in by-polls on the seats that fell vacant after resignations of PTI legislators were accepted.
It is pertinent to note that by-elections on 33 vacant NA seats will be held on March 16. While by-polls on 31 other vacant seats of the NA will are scheduled for March 19.
In Punjab, 15 constituencies are vacant for which the ECP has completed scrutiny of nomination papers.
The election body in Punjab approved the nomination papers of 177 candidates from 15 constituencies, and rejected papers of 11 candidates.
The ECP said appeals against rejection of nomination papers can be filed till February 16.