Two significant political entities in Pakistan announced on Tuesday that they have formally reached an agreement to establish a coalition government, concluding ten days of intense negotiations following an inconclusive national election that failed to yield a clear majority.
The pact involves Bhutto Zardari’s Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by three-time Premier Nawaz Sharif, bringing an end to days of uncertainty and discussions following the hung national assembly results on Feb. 8.
At a late-night press conference in Islamabad, Bhutto Zardari confirmed that former Premier Shehbaz Sharif, seated beside him, would be the coalition’s candidate for prime minister. Additionally, he announced that his father, Asif Ali Zardari, would be the alliance’s candidate for the country’s president.
Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz, expressed confidence that the two parties, along with the support of smaller parties, have the required numbers to form a government. PML-N, as the largest party with 79 seats, and PPP as the second-largest with 54, together with four other smaller parties, command a comfortable majority in the legislature with a total of 264 seats.
The delay in establishing a government in Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 241 million, has raised concerns amid an ongoing economic crisis, marked by slow growth, record inflation, and escalating militant violence. A stable administration with the authority to make crucial decisions is deemed essential.
Bhutto Zardari emphasized that the parties are committed to expeditiously forming the government. According to the country’s constitution, a parliamentary session must be convened by Feb. 29, following which a vote for a new prime minister will occur.
Source: Reuters
