Sharif’s Party At Ease In Forming Gov't In Pakistan

Islamabad, May 16, IRNA – Independent candidates elected in the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly are likely to join Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), paving the way for the single largest party to form the government in the country. Independent candidates are nearly all selecting PML-N as their choice of political affiliation. PML-N currently holds 126 seats in the National Assembly. Surprisingly, the potential parties of the past, PPP and PML-Q, have almost completely lost their position in Punjab while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a new player, has entered the Punjab Assembly as the third leading party with 22 winners after PML-N and the independents. Earlier PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, upon visiting PTI chief Imran Khan at the hospital, had stated that once Imran recovers, the two will play a “friendly match.” Nawaz, while addressing reporters outside Shaukat Khanum hospital, further stated that the two party leaders have reconciled their differences and intend to work together to rid Pakistan of its problems. The PML-N chief also expressed that he was glad Imran was making a speedy recovery. Meanwhile Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) , Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) have finalised a formula over the formation of government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to which JI and QWP would get three ministries each whereas, the PTI would hold the chief minister and speaker positions in the province. The PTI leaders Pervaiz Khattak and the Asad Qaiser are both engaged in power struggle for the coveted slot of the KPK chief minister and a decision with regards to who would head PTI’s rather inexperienced government is still awaited. On the other hand Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz has started contacting other political parties and independent candidates to form government in Balochistan. According to unofficial results, Pukhtunkhaw Milli Awami Party (PMAP) and PML-N have nine seats each in the provincial assembly while National Party is also in a strong position after winning seven seats. In other development Pakistan Peoples Party’s Patron-in-Chief, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has stressed the need for continuation of the democratic process without any obstacle to transfer of power through the ballot. He said the PPP had accepted the nation’s mandate for the sake of continuity of the democratic process and would play the role of opposition in the National Assembly. Observers say the election results also show awakening of the public to the good or bad performance of the rulers and their reaction to the same. The results, they say, have made it clear to the political parties that if they have to get vote and support of the people, they have to deliver and perform otherwise the public will discard them completely./end