ISLAMABAD: Hectic parleys continued among leaders of political parties to patch up last minute electoral pacts as prospective ticket seekers scrambled to party offices with only five days left for the filing of nominations for the October 24 elections to Pakistan’s national assembly.
Chief election commissioner Justice Naeemuddin has announced September 12 as the last date for filing nomination papers. Withdrawals can take place on September 30 and the final list will be declared on October 1.
Top leaders of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) were busy sorting out differences on seat allocation and choice of candidates. A clear picture has not yet emerged on whether the [JI and parties opposed to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will succeed in nominating consensus candidates against the PPP on a one-to-one basis.
PPP sources indicated that the party might nominate more than ‘one candidate for each constituency in case the main contender is debarred by special courts.
Addressing election rallies at Sialkot and Rawalpindi, IJ] president Mian Nawaz Sharif said tickets would be given only to deserving candidates.
Former Punjab chief minister Nawaz Sharif and the present Punjab chief minister Ghulam Hyder Wyne lambasted Bhutto and her ousted government for looting and betraying the people who had reposed trust in them.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 14, 1990
