JHANG (Daily Point) — In a significant setback for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), senior leader Faisal Saleh Hayat has announced his allegiance to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in preparation for the upcoming polls scheduled for February 8, 2024.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the media in Jhang, described Hayat’s decision to join the party, along with his associates, as a substantial gain for the PML-N in the city, as reported by Geo News.
Speculation about Hayat’s departure from the PPP had been circulating, and these rumors intensified when no PPP flags were present during the filing of his nomination papers for NA-108 and PP-125 on Friday.
Having previously been elected to the National Assembly in 1988, 1990, and 1993 on the PPP ticket, Hayat contested the 2008 elections on the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) ticket. He has held various executive positions, including Federal Minister for Commerce (1988-1990), Federal Minister for Interior (2002-2004), Kashmir Affairs (2004-2007), and Federal Minister for Housing & Works (2011-12).
A founding member of the PPP-Patriot group, Hayat was elected to the upper house of parliament on its ticket in 2002.
With the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) setting the poll date earlier this month, political parties have intensified their election campaigns. According to Geo News, the ECP has received a total of 28,626 nomination papers from prospective candidates nationwide. The scrutiny process for the nomination papers will conclude on December 30, followed by the release of the candidate list on January 11. Candidates will have the option to withdraw until January 12, before the ECP assigns electoral symbols on January 13.
The PML-N, particularly since the return of its leader Nawaz Sharif, has successfully attracted numerous influential figures from different parts of the country, consolidating its position ahead of the polls. Last month, over 30 individuals from various political parties, including the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Balochistan National Party–Mengal (BNP-M), National Party (NP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and the PPP, joined the Nawaz-led party, significantly impacting the electoral dynamics in the province.
