ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) contacted its formermember Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan — who contested the election as anindependent candidate.
The veteran politician, a political heavyweight of Rawalpindi who has beena member of every National Assembly since 1985, lost both his NA seats —NA-59 and NA-60 — in the July 25 polls.
However, he was able to win a seat in the provincial assembly from PP-10constituency. Nisar also contested the polls from PP-12, though he wasunable to stand victorious from the constituency.
According to information received from sources, Nisar had respondedpositively to PML-N leaders.
With 13 independent candidates that the party claims have pledged supportto PML-N, it now needs the support of only four more independent candidatesto reach the minimum count — 148 — to form the government in Punjab.
In a statement, PML-N leader Senate Mushahid Hussain said his party waspositive that it will form the government in the province. “We have moremembers in the Punjab Assembly and it is our right to form the governmenthere,” he observed.
The support of at least 148 members is required for a party to have itschief minister elected in the province.