Maryam Nawaz files papers on four Punjab Assembly seats.

LAHORE -- PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who is against the upcoming elections in two provinces without 'ensuring' accountability of PTI chief Imran Khan, on Thursday chose four constituencies - three of Lahore and one of Gujranwala - to contest the April 30 polls in Punjab.

The Pakistan Peoples Party, which is an ally of the PML-N in the Centre, however, fielded its candidates in most seats in Punjab, as no seat-adjustment understanding has been reached betwAeen the Sharifs and the Zardaris so far.

The PPP's candidates have also filed nomination papers for all four seats Ms Sharif is contesting.

On the other hand, no big guns of Mr Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will be up against Ms Sharif on any of the four seats if the elections are held as per schedule.

The decision to run for four Punjab Assembly seats also shows the 'low confidence' of PML-N and its de-facto head in the country in the face of rising popularity of Imran Khan due to crushing inflation. 'The party cannot take its chances on its number one horse. Maryam will have to win...at least one seat of the four to reach the Punjab Assembly if the elections are held,' a PML-N insider told Dawn on Thursday.

No big PTI names competing against Nawaz's daughter; PPP fields candidates in most constituencies

Thursday was the last day of submission of nomination papers as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had extended the deadline from March 14 to 16.

Maraym Nawaz appears to be quite careful in the selection of the four constituencies - PP-149 PP-158 and PP-173 (Lahore) and PP-63 Gujranwala.

Two of the constituencies (PP-149 and PP-63) were previously held by her party and the other two (PP-158 and PP-173) by the PTI.

The two PML-N winners of the 2018 polls - Mian Marghoob (PP-149) and Chaudhry Iqbal (PP-63) - have been made to surrender their constituencies in favour of their leader.

Ironically, Chaudhry Iqbal of Gujranwala is the father-in-law of Farhat Shahzadi, commonly known as Farah Khan, a close friend of former first lady Bushra Bibi, whom Ms Sharif has been targeting for months for her (Farah's) alleged corruption.

PML-N won both the seats by a margin of around 7,000 votes in the 2018 general election.

PA-158 was the one the PTI won in 2018 as well as July 2022 by-polls. This seat was held by PTI rebel Aleem Khan, who also owns a TV channel, in 2018. After Aleem's...