PML-N confident of winning more than two-thirds majority: Ishaq Dar

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is expected to win more than two-thirds of the seats up for grabs in the National Assembly, senior leader Ishaq Dar said Tuesday, stressing that it was crucial for political stability.

“It does not mean that we would not want other parties, seeking to rescue the country from the ongoing turmoil, to join forces with us,” Dar, a former finance minister, said on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”.

Pakistan heads to polls on February 8 with the PML-N looking in good form despite its low-key electioneering as its supremo Nawaz Sharif is back and is set to contest the polls after clearing all legal hurdles.

The party has also fielded 208 candidates for the 266 National Assembly general seats up for grabs, Dar said, noting that overall for the five legislatures, the PML-N has issued 671 tickets out of the 859 seats.

But while the party has fielded its candidates across the country and left some out, he said they had entered into agreements with the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl.

“Yes, with a simple majority, you have confidence that you won’t get undue pressure [...] but we have only one motive: take Pakistan on the path towards economic stability as soon as possible,” Dar said, assuring that his party was ready to forge alliances.

"The PML-N would come up with a strong plan for making fast advancement to become the 20th global economy which was dropped to 47th number during the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government," replied the ex-finance czar when questioned about its economic policy to end fiscal, sky-high inflation and Rs5,700 billion circular debt.

He said in 2013, the Nawaz-led party had faced the same economic challenges when Pakistan was declared a “macro-economic unstable state”. He added that the magnitude has soared in 2024, however, the genre of the economic challenges stayed the same.

Dar said that PML-N had devised a comprehensive plan to put the economy back on track. Regarding tough decisions, he admitted that Pakistan has no choices other than adopting structural reforms.

He added after the ouster of the PTI-led government, the PML-N adopted effective but painful reforms after signing a stand-by agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and remained successful in bringing Pakistan out of default risk.

He also vowed that the PML-N would not compromise on economic stability or tolerate any delay in reforms after coming into power.