ISLAMABAD: The PPP on Thursday withdrew its decision to form an electoral alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) at the local level during the upcoming by-election in Chakwal.
“The PPP will not support the PTI in the by-polls in Chakwal,” PPP leader Chaudhary Manzoor Ahmed said. The decision was taken following consultations with senior party leaders after PTI Chairman Imran Khan lashed out at the PPP during a public meeting in Chakwal. “Imran Khan had requested [the PPP] for support [in Chakwal] but then levelled unfounded criticism against the leadership,” he added. Office-bearers of the PPP had asked the party leadership to reverse its decision of forming an alliance with the PTI in the by-election in PP-23 Chakwal-IV after Imran Khan lashed out at the PPP during the public gathering last week. Khan had attacked the former president Asif Zardari – even when he was reminded by party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry that they had a seat adjustment with the PPP in the area. The PTI chief alleged that the PPP and the ruling PML-N have entered into a deal to save each other from accountability. District Election Commissioner in Chakwal served Imran Khan a show-cause notice after his tirade, accusing the PTI chief of violating the ECP’s code of conduct as he campaigned in the district ahead of upcoming by-polls. The notice explained that the ECP had already issued a code of conduct to all parties participating in the by-election in PP-23, Chakwal-IV. The by-election in Punjab Assembly’s constituency PP-23 (Chakwal-IV) will be held on April 18. The seat had fallen vacant after the death of PML-N MPA Malik Zahoor Anwar in February.
