Pak: Nawaz Sharif plans coalition govt; reaches out to PPP, JUI-F amid fractured mandate

LAHORE: Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) candidate for the premiership, announced on Friday his intention to form a united government with the help of his former allies - Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) amid a fractured mandate.

The unofficial results called by Geo News for 204 seats have shown the independent candidates, mostly backed by former PM Imran Khan, leading with 87 seats, followed by PML-N at 60 seats and PPP at 45 seats.

Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif claimed PML-N's "victory" in the February 8 general election in the backdrop of a precarious economy and the political crisis unleashed by Imran Khan's ouster from power.

In a charged speech in Lahore's Model Town, Nawaz Sharif said, "I have tasked Shehbaz Sharif to meet Fazlur Rehman, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Asif Ali Zardari today." He further specified that Shehbaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar would hold meetings as part of the outreach efforts.

Respecting the mandate of all parties and independent candidates, Nawaz Sharif hinted at the formation of a 'unity government.'

He asserted that it is the collective responsibility of all parties to join forces and navigate Pakistan out of its current crisis. "Not just my or Ishaq Dar's responsibility... It is everyone's Pakistan. If we all work together, only then will Pakistan get out of this crisis," he emphasised.

Expressing the need for a stable Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif stated, "Pakistan needed at least 10 years of stability. Those who are in the mood for confrontation, I want to tell them we don't want any fight... Pakistan cannot afford it. We all must sit together and sort issues out and take Pakistan to the 21st century, but due to our mistake, we could not do that earlier."

However, amidst ongoing result updates, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidates are leading with more than 100 seats, while the PML-N is trailing.

Despite this, PML-N leaders remain confident, asserting that their candidates have secured the majority of seats and are poised to form the government at the center. The political landscape in Pakistan continues to evolve as negotiations for coalition-building unfold.

The independent candidates backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) are leading with 52 seats, according to the provincial results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) so far, Dawn reported.

The ECP has released the provincial results for 120 out of 266 seats in the National Assembly.

While PTI-backed independent candidates are leading with 52 seats, PML-N is a close second with 40 seats, followed by the PPP with 19 seats.

Notably, Imran Khan was disqualified from contesting the elections due to criminal convictions. The electoral symbol of the PTI was also taken away by the ECP in a ruling later backed by the Pakistan apex court. As a result, the PTI leaders and supporters contested as independent candidates, Dawn reported.