The surprise move came on Tuesday when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz nominated its president, Shehbaz Sharif, to be Pakistan’s prime ministerial candidate, rather than Nawaz Sharif, the party leader and three-time former prime minister.
Spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Marriyum Aurangzeb, stated on X that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif,74, has nominated his daughter Maryam Nawaz,50, as chief minister of Punjab province, and his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif,72, as a candidate for prime minister.
“Nawaz Sharif has thanked the political parties which provided support to the PML-N (in forming the upcoming government) and expressed hope that through such decisions Pakistan will come out of crises,” she said.
The event occurs just hours after Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), announced his party’s decision to support former premier Nawaz without joining the next administration.
Five days after the general elections, concerns were raised over the composition of the next Pakistani government despite independent candidates supported by imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party surprising everyone by securing the most seats in Parliament.
A hung Parliament will result from the three biggest parties—the PML-N, the PPP, and the PTI—not being able to form government on their own because none of them secured enough seats in the National Assembly to win a majority.
The potent Pakistan Army is said to support the PML-N.
Speaking during a press conference held here subsequent to the PPP’s powerful Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting, which he chaired. Bilawal has said the reality is that his party does not have a mandate to form a federal government.
“Due to this, I will not be putting myself forward for the candidacy of the prime minister of Pakistan,” the 35-year-old former foreign minister said, adding that PML-N and the independents have greater numbers in the Centre.
Earlier in the day, former prime minister Shehbaz reaffirmed that Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister for a record fourth time.
“I had said that Nawaz Sharif would become prime minister for the fourth time. And I maintain today that he is going to be the PM for the fourth time,” Shehbaz told a press conference.
Shehbaz said he has spoken to Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari and thanked them for their support to Nawaz Sharif.
“We hope that together we will be able to get Pakistan out of all political and economic crises, Inshallah,” he posted on X.
On Tuesday, there was a discussion regarding government formation between the PML-N and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
After agreeing to proceed with mutual cooperation, Shehbaz Sharif expressed gratitude to the MQM-P, which has 17 MPs in Parliament, for its support.
Bilawal pointed out that the PML-N was the only party that had extended an invitation to the PPP to join the government because Imran Khan’s PTI had declined to form a coalition with the PPP.
On Tuesday, Mr. Khan denounced any notion of a coalition government with Pakistan’s major political parties, branding them as the “biggest money launderers” who are being elevated to power.
The 71-year-old Mr. Khan, who is also the PTI’s founder, was having a conversation with reporters in Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail. Khan and several party associates are detained for several months due to convictions in numerous cases.
He said, “There can be no alliance with PML-N, PPP, and MQM,” and claimed he had instructed PTI Information Secretary Raouf Hasan to unite all parties except for the three.
In addition, Mr. Khan forewarned his political adversaries against the “misadventure” of forming a government with “stolen votes”.
Mr Khan, in a message on his official X handle, posted from jail through his family, said: “I warn against the misadventure of forming a government with stolen votes. Such daylight robbery will not only be a disrespect to the citizens, but will also push the country’s economy further into a downward spiral.” Khan, said, “PTI will never compromise on people’s will, and I have categorically instructed my party against engaging with any political party that has robbed people’s mandate, including PPP, PMLN & MQM.” Earlier, Bilawal said the PPP has decided that “we may not be a part of the government but we will engage with political parties on the issue of votes and the election of prime minister.” He said that the PPP would help to form a stable government without being part of it.
“To that end, the PPP will be willing to support the case of important votes – a candidate of the PM of Pakistan – and issue to issue basis to ensure that the government is formed and political stability is restored,” Bilawal said.
Asif Ali Zardari, his 68-year-old father, should run for president once more, according to Bilawal. From 2008 to 2013, Zardari, the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s husband, served as president.
“I am not saying this because he is my father. I am saying this because the country is in a huge crisis at the moment and if anyone has the capacity to douse this fire, it is Asif Ali Zardari,” he asserted.
In response to a question, Bilawal said all political forces needed to think about the country and end the politics of division. “They must not just think about themselves […] this way the enemies of the country would want to benefit from this crisis.” “It takes two to tango,” he said.
In the 266-member National Assembly, a party needs to win 133 of the 265 contested seats in order to establish a government.
The Pakistan Election Commission has declared that 101 seats were won by independent candidates, the majority of whom were backed by the PTI. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured 75 seats, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) 54 seats, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) 17 seats.
One constituency’s results were withheld, although other parties received 17 seats.
A top representative of Khan’s party announced that the party will attempt to create administration in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as well as the Centre by utilising the platforms of two right-wing religious groups.
“Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has decided to join Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to form the government in the Centre and Punjab and Jamaati-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” PTI Information Secretary Hassan said while addressing a press conference.
Hassan said the PTI was redoubling its efforts to make a government in the Centre and Punjab.
It’s thought that the PTI won’t be able to muster enough support to create Punjab’s federal or provincial governments, though, if it merges the two parties. Even in the absence of backing from any other party, PTI is able to form a government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A Pakistani court on Tuesday rejected over 30 petitions from independent candidates supported by Khan’s party, contesting the “sham victory” of prominent PML-N figures, such as former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, dealing a blow to PTI.
While rejecting the petitions, the Lahore High Court requested that the PTI-backed candidates who were defeated file a complaint with the Pakistani Election Commission.
