Political rivals of Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan reach deal on coalition govt.
Pakistan's main political rivals of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan have announced a power-sharing agreement to form a coalition government after an inconclusive national election did not produce a clear majority.
The agreement between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), two dynastic parties of the country, ends days of negotiations following the February 8 elections which were marred by allegations of electoral fraud on the part of the interim government.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari confirmed at a late-night press conference in Islamabad that former PM Shehbaz Sharif, who was seated beside him, would be the coalition's candidate for Prime Minister.
He added that his father Asif Ali Zardari will be the alliance's candidate for the country's President.
"We are hopeful that Shehbaz Sharif will soon become the prime minister of the country and the whole of Pakistan should pray that the government should be successful," Bhutto Zardari, who was Foreign Minister under Sharif in the last government which dissolved in August ahead of elections.
Bhutto Zardari said ministerial portfolios had been agreed and would be announced in the coming days.
Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of former PM Nawaz Sharif, said the two parties had the numbers to form the government and also had the support of other smaller parties.
Candidates loyal to Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the most seats in the National Assembly. They were forced to stand as independents.
PML-N has emerged as the second largest party with 79 seats and PPP as the third with 54 seats. They, along with four other smaller parties, have a comfortable majority in the legislature of 264 seats.
The National Assembly must convene by February 29, when the coalition can be formally approved.
The proposed new government looks much the same as the shaky coalition that combined to oust Khan in a no-confidence vote in 2022 when Sharif became prime minister for the first time.
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