Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday decided that Shehbaz Sharif will not contest elections from Karachi, Aaj News reported.

The development comes amid reports that Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Mustafa Kamal had been asked to withdraw his candidacy from NA-242 to make room for Shehbaz Sharif.

Shehbaz’s candidacy for NA-242 was approved by the returning officer four days ago.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) candidate Masood Khan Mandokhail had challenged Shehbaz’s nomination papers citing the undeclared salary that he had drawn as prime minister.

In November, a MQM delegation including Kamal had called on Nawaz Sharif in Lahore where the two parties had announced they would jointly contest elections.

However, it later emerged that the details of a seat adjustment formula had not been worked out.

On Thursday, PML-N finalised the names of party candidates for the February 8 general elections. In the award of party tickets, the PML-N had given preference to old die-hard activists and former legislators.

The decision was made during a meeting on Thursday chaired by PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif. The meeting decided to immediately start the election drive, for which the party candidates were given specific directions for running the election campaign in their respective areas.

The meeting was attended among others by Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Rana Sanaullah who finalised matters on seat adjustment. The PML-N has finalised the names of its candidates for the national assembly (NA) and the provincial assembly (PP) seats from nine divisions of Punjab and Islamabad.