Local body polls: PPP rules out an alliance with PTI despite hinting at a partnership with JI

Saeed Ghani, the Sindh Labor Minister, suggested on Monday that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) would form a coalition, but he ruled out any prospect of an alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Ghani remarked, while surrounded by other party officials at a press conference in the Sindh Assembly, “We can undertake negotiations with Jamat-e-Islami but not with the PTI as we have no intention of creating an alliance with them.”

The Sindh minister expressed happiness over the PPP’s recent victories in the local government elections in Hyderabad and predicted that it will win out as the largest party. He continued by saying that the party would also gain seats in Karachi’s provincial and national assemblies.
The minister congratulated the JI for performing well in the polls, saying that the party is just a little behind the PPP. “JI and PPP have a clear number of seats,” he added.

Ghani assured the masses that the PPP will live up to the expectations. “Those who have won will complete the term and serve the people,” he said.

Criticising the PTI, the minister said that the local government polls proved that the last general elections were rigged.

Speaking about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) decision to boycott elections, Ghani said that the party had also boycotted the polls before. He said that the party wanted MQM-P to contest the elections.

The provincial minister said that he contacted JI President Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman regarding the delay in polls. He said that he later contacted the officials.

“They said that the polling staff giving duties at different places was untrained which led to the delay,” he said.

Ghani said that they are trying to elect the mayor democratically.
JI open to forming alliance
Naeem indicated earlier today that he would be open to forming an agreement with other political groups if necessary.

Rehman stated that although his party is willing to discuss forming an alliance with another party, it wants to run the municipality on its own.

When questioned about whether he would join the PTI or Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Naeem responded that he would hold talks with all parties for Karachi’s improvement.

He said, “Everyone should respect our mandate, and we will try to talk to other parties.

Naeem added that all of the people who support other political parties have given their votes to the JI, which he claimed had worked hard to become the number one party.