The opposition parties have shifted their focus of attention to Punjab subsequent to clear indications that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has achieved the required numbers to form the government in the center.
Sources within Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told Business Recorder that the opposition alliance of various political parties has realized that their strength in terms of total numbers-elect in National Assembly is not sufficient to form the government in the center and therefore now they have shifted their focus to Punjab. It is convenient to convene the meeting in Lahore instead of Islamabad as the majority of the party leaders are based in Punjab. "We do not have enough resources in Islamabad including a place big enough to accommodate the large number of our members for a meeting", said a senior PML-N leader. He also pointed out that the party was aware of criticism when the last few meetings of the opposition parties were held at the official residence of Speaker National Assembly.
The PML-N leadership has not yet abandoned hope of forming a government in Punjab as it won the largest number of seats in 25 July general elections with 129 seats followed by PTI's 123. However, it requires support of 149 members in the provincial assembly to form a government, for which intensified lobbying is underway to woo support of independent candidates-elect as well as other opposition parties in the province particularly the PPP.
The PML-N needs 20 more MPAs-elect to form the government in Punjab and with the support of Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) with six MPAs-elect the total strength of PML-N reaches to 135, still short of 14 MPAs-elect.
Talking to Business Recorder PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said that majority of the independent PMAs have already joined PTI, making it comfortable for his party to form the government in Punjab. He claimed that around 20 independents have already joined the party with the support of 7 PML-Q members-elect, its strength in the Punjab Assembly stands at 150 members.