Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif Plans Coalition Govt Amid Divided Mandate

Nawaz Sharif, the nominee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the position of prime minister, declared on Friday his plan to establish a coalition government with the support of his previous partners - the Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) in the face of a divided electoral outcome.

According to Geo News, the preliminary results for 204 seats indicate that independent candidates, largely supported by former PM Imran Khan, are in the lead with 87 seats, followed by PML-N with 60 seats and PPP with 45 seats.

Nawaz Sharif asserted PML-N's triumph in the February 8 national election amid a fragile economy and the political turmoil caused by Imran Khan's removal from office.

In an impassioned address in Lahore's Model Town, Nawaz Sharif said, "I have assigned Shehbaz Sharif to convene with Fazlur Rehman, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and Asif Ali Zardari today. He also mentioned that Shehbaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar would conduct meetings as part of the outreach initiatives."

Respecting the mandate of all parties and independent candidates, Nawaz Sharif suggested the possibility of establishing a 'coalition 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.

Advocating for a secure Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif expressed, "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."

Despite the continuous updates on election results, candidates supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are currently in the lead with over 100 seats, while the PML-N is falling behind.

Despite this, PML-N leaders are still optimistic, claiming that their candidates have won the majority of seats and are ready to establish the government at the national level. The political situation in Pakistan is constantly changing as discussions for forming alliances progress.

According to Dawn, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has released provincial results showing that independent candidates supported by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) are currently leading with 52 seats.

The ECP has announced the provincial outcomes for 120 of the 266 seats in the National Assembly.

The independent candidates supported by PTI are in the lead with 52 seats, closely followed by PML-N with 40 seats, and then the PPP with 19 seats.

Imran Khan was notably barred from running in the elections because of his criminal convictions. The Election Commission of Pakistan later revoked the PTI's electoral symbol, a decision upheld by the country's highest court. Consequently, leaders and supporters of the PTI ran as independent candidates, as reported by Dawn.

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