Desperate to keep Khan out of gov., PPP, PLM-N rush to form coalition
4 Min Read
A few hours before the alliance's announcement,Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the leader of the PPP, stated that his party was not inclined to form a new alliance with the PML-N.
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Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, center bottom, Chairman of Pakistan People's Party speaks as party aides watch during a press conference regarding parliamentary elections, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP)
A coalition comprising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has reached an agreement to establish the next government of Pakistan, effectively sidelining the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan despite its victory in the national election.
During a press conference held in Islamabad on Tuesday night, it was confirmed that the rival parties, along with two smaller coalition partners, have agreed to form a united government allegedly to steer Pakistan out of its current challenges. The President of PML-N, Shehbaz Sharif, was announced as their sole nominee for the position of prime minister.
Asif Ali Zardari, the PPP co-chair, said, "Looking at everything, we have thought and decided to sit together. We have contested elections against each other but despite that, it is not necessary for ever. Opposition happens in elections. It was electioneering opposition, not ideological opposition."
On his part, Shahbaz Sharif noted that he was "thankful to Zardari and Bilawal that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N," adding that "today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate.”
It is worth noting that Pakistan's recent election saw Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party win the most votes but fall short of a majority. This outcome occurred despite opposition from the military and a state-led crackdown.
The announcement, however, came after earlier reports said that the two major political parties in Pakistan dismissed the idea of forming alliances, on Tuesday, following an inconclusive election. This would have raised the potential for either a minority government or an extended period of negotiations before a coalition is established.
Candidates affiliated with imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI secured the majority of seats in Thursday's election while running independently. However, Khan has rejected the possibility of forming an alliance with his political rivals.
The outcome prevented the army-supported Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from attaining a majority for governance, as the PPP, their primary coalition ally in the previous administration, came in third.
Speaking in Adiala Jail, where he has been incarcerated since his arrest in August, Khan accused both the PML-N and PPP of engaging in corrupt practices.
"We will neither sit with the PML-N nor with the PPP," Khan conveyed in a message to a small group of reporters who were present to cover a procedural hearing at the prison located outside the capital, Islamabad.
Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the leader of the PPP, stated that his party was not inclined to form a new alliance with the PML-N. However, he expressed willingness to support a government formed by the PML-N on specific issues.
"We will support a political party without becoming part of the government," Bhutto Zardari said, before adding, "But we will support the votes of prime ministership, budget, and legislation on an issue-to-issue basis."
In parallel, Sharif stated on Tuesday that the PML-N remains open to negotiations with other parties.
"We've had two meetings (with PPP), and there may be a few more. Once a decision is reached, the nation will be informed," he said during a news conference in Lahore.
Read more: Imran Khan stands firm: No alliances amid post-election deadlock
