Government of Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto will be formed in Pakistan, MQM-P will also come along, meetings continue

After the fractured mandate in the general elections of Pakistan, political parties have intensified their efforts for a coalition government. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday. Both parties have agreed to form a “coalition government”.

After voting on February 8 in Pakistan, ECP declared the final result of the general elections on Sunday. Independent candidates supported by the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan have won 101 seats. At the same time, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has technically emerged as the largest party in the Parliament by winning 75 seats. Bilawal Zardari Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) got 54 seats, while Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) got 17 seats. Other small parties have won the remaining 12 seats.

Ruckus started during vote counting in Pakistan
In the National Assembly of Pakistan, representatives are elected by direct voting on 266 seats. Of these, elections were held on 265 seats. Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has declared the results of 264 of these seats. Due to delay in announcement of election results, many parties created ruckus and protests across the country. The result of NA-88 seat in Khushab of Punjab province has been withheld by ECP due to complaints of fraud. It will be announced after redressal of complaints. The election on one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate.

According to the language, to form the government, a party will need the support of 133 members elected through direct voting. Overall, 169 seats out of 336 are required to achieve majority, which also includes seats reserved for women and minorities. Nawaz Sharif on Saturday called for forming a coalition government to take Pakistan out of its current difficulties. It is believed that Sharif has the support of the country’s army. PML-N chief Sharif has entrusted the responsibility of talks with the parties to his younger brother and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

MQM-P leaders are also participating in the meeting
According to a report, Shehbaz Sharif met senior PPP leaders on Sunday. A delegation of MQM-P is in Lahore and held a meeting with Shahbaz. The MQM delegation is being led by Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and other party leaders are also participating in the meeting. A statement issued by Sharif’s party said that after an hour-long meeting, they had reached an “in-principle agreement” to work together in the next government. Earlier, MQM-P leader Haider Rizvi told ‘Geo News’ in an interview that his party would be more comfortable with PML-N as their parties have not contested against each other in Karachi. There are speculations that important meetings can be held even today regarding the alliance between PML-N and PPP in Pakistan.