Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and advisor to the Prime Minister, Rana Sanaullah, claimed on Tuesday that several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members wanted to vote for him in the Punjab Assembly Senate by-election, which prompted the party’s boycott of the polls. Speaking to the media, Rana Sanaullah said that 10 to 12 PTI members had secretly contacted him.
He criticized PTI’s political practices, saying the party trained workers to insult opponents and raise provocative slogans. According to him, this behavior reflects the political culture fostered under the leadership of PTI’s founder, Imran Khan.
In response to this, voting is currently underway in the Punjab Assembly for a vacant Senate seat, which was left empty after the disqualification of PTI leader Ijaz Chaudhry. The government-backed candidate, Rana Sanaullah, is the clear frontrunner for the seat. Ijaz Chaudhry was disqualified following his conviction in cases related to damaging government property and military installations during the May 9, 2023 protests.
The opposition has fielded Chaudhry’s wife, Salma Ijaz, as its candidate, who has the support of 100 votes. However, the opposition has announced a boycott of the voting process. The government alliance, which includes PML-N, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Iqbal Pakistan Party, and PML-Q, has nominated Rana Sanaullah, who has the backing of 263 votes. Polling will continue until 5 p.m. in the new building of the Punjab Assembly.
