Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto agree to form coalition

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have reached an agreement to form a coalition government at the Centre and Punjab province, following a meeting among PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and former President Asif Ali Zardari, Geo News reported.

There has been no clear victor from the divisive elections in Pakistan as the tardy vote-counting process neared completion on Saturday, indicating that the elusive political stability for the cash-strapped India’s neighbour may still be a distant dream.

The general elections were held on Thursday and the counting began soon after the polling ended at 5pm with the hope that the majority of 265 contested seats would be available by Friday morning.

Former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, brother of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, met the PPP top leaders at the residence of caretaker Punjab chief minister Mohsin Naqvi, Geo News reported. Party sources told the news portal that Shehbaz Sharif discussed the future government formation with Zardari and also conveyed Nawaz Sharif’s message. During the 45-minute meeting, Shehbaz Sharif asked Bilawal Bhutto and his father Asif Ali Zardari to sit with the PML-N leadership for political and economic stability in Pakistan.

The sources claimed that both PPP leaders have agreed to form a government in Punjab and at the Centre and both the parties will present their own views in the next meeting and finalise all matters regarding the power-sharing formula as to who will assume which office and where with mutual consultation, the report added.

Earlier on Friday, Nawaz Sharif announced his intention to form a united government with the help of his former allies – PPP, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) after none of the contesting parties could secure a comfortable majority.

The army-backed PML-N took 71 and the PPP snapped up 53 – with minor parties taking the rest and 15 of the elected 266-seat National Assembly still to be announced.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif claimed the PML-N’s “victory” the in general election in the backdrop of a precarious economy and the political crisis unleashed by Imran Khan’s ouster from power.