Elections 2024: PML-N to clinch 125 seats from Punjab, claims Sanaullah

PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah talks to journalists in Lahore on December 22, 2023. — Online

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Rana Sanaullah on Saturday claimed that his party would win nearly 125 out of the 141 National Assembly seats in Punjab.

During an interaction with journalists in Lahore, Sanaullah said: “PML-N will win 120 to 125 seats from Punjab.” The former security czar claimed that his party would form the next government in the Centre with a simple majority, Geo News reported.

“We are in the winning position. We are regaining our position. It is not out of the blue,” he added.

Stressing the need for a level playing field, Sanaullah said that “all political parties” should be allowed to contest the 2024 general elections in the country, 

“All political parties will partake in the electoral process. People will decide [who they wanted in power].”

Two mainstream parties — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — have repeatedly been complaining that they were being denied a level playing field in the run-up to elections and attempts are being made to pave the way for the PML-N’s return to power ahead of general elections scheduled to be held on February 8, 2024.

Amid reports of minus Imran Khan elections, PTI accuses the caretaker government of denying a level playing field. With the election drawing closer, the PTI chairman remains behind bars in Adiala Jail and the party’s leadership claims that they are not allowed to run electioneer.

On the other hand, PPP — a former ally of PML-N in the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) led coalition government — also blames Sharifs’ party for denying a level playing field.

Responding to a question, Sanaullah hit back at the PPP and asked if lodging false cases against PML-N’s leadership was a “level playing field”.

“You are displeased as it is not happening now whatever happened to us in the 2018 elections,” he added.

The PPP and PTI have been raising concerns over “preferential treatment” being given to the PML-N ahead of the upcoming elections.

Amid accusations by the PPP and PTI, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz’s statement strengthened their doubts this week when he said that there was nothing wrong with maintaining "cordial ties" with the establishment.