Pakistan’s political uncertainty took a decisive turn on Tuesday with the formation of a new coalition government and the nomination of Shehbaz Sharif as the premier candidate. This comes after last week’s national elections resulted in no single party gaining a majority, leading to days of political deadlock and wrangling.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari joined forces to form a majority government, despite falling short of seats individually. Nawaz Sharif nominated his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, for the Prime Minister’s position.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, denounced the power-sharing agreement and reiterated its claim of being the true voice of the people.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), with 53 seats, has pledged its support to Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N, which secured 75 seats, signalling an end to the impasse following the inconclusive elections. The coalition also extended an invitation to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to participate in the reconciliation process.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which bagged 17 seats, has pledged full support to Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N in an effort to ‘strengthen’ democracy. To govern, a party must secure 133 out of the 265 contested National Assembly seats. Together, the PML-N, PPP and MQM-P have the numbers to form a unity government.
In a surprise move, Nawaz Sharif officially nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif for the position of Prime Minister, foregoing the chance to be Pakistan’s PM for a fourth time. The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the PML-N on social media. Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, has been nominated as the Chief Minister of Punjab province, a first for a woman in Pakistan’s history.
The PTI has criticised the power-sharing arrangement between PML-N and PPP, with senior leader Latif Khosa declaring that no democratic government could be formed without Imran Khan’s involvement. Notably, PTI-backed independent candidates won 101 seats, the most in the elections to the lower house of parliament.
Meanwhile, the United States expressed readiness to work with any government formed in Pakistan and called for a thorough investigation into claims of electoral fraud. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed concerns about vote-rigging allegations and said, “There were irregularities; we want to see them investigated. But ultimately, we respect the democratic process and we’re ready to work with the government once it’s formed.
