Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) declared on Sunday that it has successfully obtained 130 seats in Punjab since the July 25 elections, thereby making it the largest party in the province.
Both the PTI and PML-N are embroiled in a tussle for control of Punjab. PML-N was previously in the lead with 129 seats, while the PTI was on its heels with 123 seats.
The latest count is a result of the inclusion of seven independent candidates, of whom four joined the PTI yesterday and three today.
The three independent candidates to join the party today were Syed Saeedul Hasan from PP-46 Narowal-I, Raja Sagheer Ahmed from PP-7 Rawalpindi-II, and Muhammad Salman from PP-217 Multan-VII who defeated PTI's Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Salman Naeem is the only member of his family who is staunch fan of Imran Khan .Otherwise his father and other family member are supporters of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Senator Rana Mehmood-ul-Hassan met Salam Naeem Sheikh yesterday at his residence with a message of Hamza Shahbaz to convince him to join PML-N but he flately refused to do so.
PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said that three or four more candidates are expected to join the party tonight which will boost the total number of seats even further.
At least 149 directly elected MPAs are required to form a government. With the addition of reserved and minority seats, at least 185 out of a total of 371 seats are required to form a government in Punjab.
