The Pakistani people are awaiting the outcome of difficult negotiations to create strategic alliances that will enable the formation of a new government after the elections, Pakistani analyst and expert on Central Asia Muhammad Ali Pasha told Report.
He said the current political landscape in Pakistan is controversial as no political party has secured a simple majority since the February 8 polls.
“In response to this, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have initiated formal consultations with the aim of forming a government at the Centre, seeking support from their respective allies.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has been actively engaged in reaching out to key political figures, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). The PML-N leader sought Maulana Fazl’s support and collaboration in the formation of the federal government. In a show of political coordination, a meeting with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has already taken place in Lahore, with another scheduled meeting with the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) led by Shujaat Hussain in Islamabad.
The timing of these political maneuvers is crucial, especially as independent candidates backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are currently leading in the National Assembly polls with at least 93 seats. The PML-N and PPP, with 75 and 54 seats respectively, recognize the need to consolidate their support base and form strategic alliances to exert influence in the formation of the government,” he noted.
“A significant development in this process is the formal contact established between the PML-N and PPP. Shehbaz Sharif led a team to Bilawal House in Lahore, engaging in discussions with Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for over an hour. While the joint declaration termed the meeting 'constructive,' no specific plan was outlined, leaving room for further negotiations and deliberations.
In an interesting turn of events, sources have revealed that the PPP and PML-N are contemplating a unique arrangement to share the office of the Prime Minister between themselves during the five-year term of the National Assembly. This innovative approach aims to foster cooperation and power-sharing between the two major political parties, acknowledging the need for stability and effective governance.”
As the political dynamics unfold, the nation awaits the outcome of these intricate negotiations, which will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of Pakistan’s political landscape in the coming years, he added.