With no clear winner in polls, Nawaz Sharif's party pitches formation of "participatory coalition government"

As the result of the February 8 general elections have thrown up no clear winner, Nawaz Sharif's political party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has pitched the idea of a "participatory coalition government," claiming that no political party has the mandate to establish a government in the Center, according to Dawn.

Azam Nazeer Tarar, a former law minister, insisted that the elections were "fair," calling this situation "Hobson's choice" and pointing out that no political party had won a majority in the National Assembly.

Following a meeting of the party's top brass in Jati Umra, where discussions were held over the future course of action.


According to the former minister, the PML-N has begun talks with its erstwhile allies to create a central government. "The only option is to build the [federal] government with the PML-N's support. He declared that "it will be a participatory coalition government" and that forming the federal government was "in the largest interest of the country that all should join hands, Dawn reported.

Notably, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PPP President Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday. The two parties have agreed "in principle to save the country from political instability."

The leaders of the two parties spoke about the overall situation of the country and political cooperation in the future, according to the statement released by PML-N President on X.

Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari agreed to cooperate politically to bring the nation to political stability.

Meanwhile, the Secretariat of the PPP Chairman stated that it was the PPP's first meeting with PML-N over the government's formation. The two parties discussed government formation. In a post on X, the Secretariat of the PPP Chairman stated, "Lahore: First official contact of Pakistan Muslim League-N with the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party for government formation. PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif reached Bilawal House to seek cooperation from the Pakistan Peoples Party in government formation. President PPP Asif Ali Zardari, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif discussed government formation."

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers held protests in different cities of Pakistan against alleged rigging in the results of general elections held on February 8.

PTI workers held a protest outside the district election commissioner's office in Rawalpindi's Sadiqabad. The police personnel deployed in Rawalpindi reportedly used tear gas and charged batons to disperse the protesters.

The PTI continues to maintain that it is the real winner of these elections "200 plus bogus cases, 24 years of unlawful conviction, party stripped of its iconic bat, Imran Khan still manages to win the elections with 2/3rd majority" PTI posted on its account on X.