In ongoing negotiations, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are discussing the possibility of forming a coalition government. Despite claims of “significant progress,” the talks remain inconclusive after the third meeting between the Contact and Coordination Committees (CCCs) of both parties on Saturday. They plan to reconvene on Monday to finalize a power-sharing arrangement. The PML-N, led by Nawaz Sharif, has put forward Shehbaz Sharif as its nominee for the Prime Minister’s post.
In the recent elections, independent candidates, largely supported by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, secured 93 out of 265 National Assembly seats. The PML-N won 75 seats, while the PPP secured 54. Additionally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has agreed to support them with their 17 seats.
To form a government, a party needs to secure 133 seats out of the 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. However, negotiations are ongoing between the PML-N and the PPP to secure a majority.
Representatives from both parties, including Ishaq Dar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan for PML-N, and Murad Ali Shah, Saeed Ghani, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, and Nawab Sanaullah Zehri for PPP, participated in the recent meetings.
The PPP has assured the PML-N of its support in government formation and the election of the next prime minister. However, it has demanded key constitutional offices in return, including that of the president. The PPP has stated it will not take ministries in the federal Cabinet despite its support for the PML-N.
Sources reveal that the PPP aims to secure the positions of National Assembly (NA) speaker and Senate chairman. However, disagreements persist, with the PML-N hesitant to relinquish the NA speaker’s office. The PPP seeks a strong presence in both houses of Parliament to ensure the restoration of parliament’s prestige.
Another point of contention is the allocation of development funds for provinces, particularly Sindh. The PPP demands assurance from the PML-N leadership regarding the release of development funds without hindrance.
Additionally, the PPP seeks political space in Punjab, where the PML-N emerged as the single largest party in the recent elections. The PML-N has nominated Maryam Nawaz Sharif as the new chief minister of Punjab, while the PPP won 10 seats in the provincial assembly. Talks continue to resolve these issues and finalize the power-sharing arrangement between the two major parties.
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