- caroline davis
- pakistan correspondent
image source, Rahat Dar/EPA-EFE/Rex/Shutterstock
PML-N’s Nawaz Sharif plans to nominate his brother Shehbaz Sharif (pictured) as prime minister.
Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto’s political parties have reached an agreement to form a government.
Bhutto’s PPP will help Sharif’s PML-N elect prime minister after last week’s elections, he said.
The two parties had previously formed a coalition government to oust Imran Khan from power in 2022.
This time, independent candidates backed by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party unexpectedly won the most seats.
PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari said in a press conference that his party and PML-N had fought against each other in the elections but had come together in the interest of the nation.
“That is not needed [we fight] Forever,” Zardari said.
The PML-N said in a statement that the two parties agreed to work together for political stability.
The results (93 of the 266 directly elected seats were won by PTI-backed independents) left voters uncertain about which party would form the next government.
Sharif’s PML-N won 75 seats, while Bhutto’s PPP came in third with 54 seats.
In addition, political parties will be allocated more seats than the 70 reserved for women and non-Muslims. These additional seats are not available to independent candidates.
PML-N leader Maryam Aurangzeb said party leader Sharif plans to nominate his brother Shehbaz as prime minister. Both men have previously served as prime minister.
Bhutto has said her party will help elect a PML-N prime minister, but previously said she would not accept any cabinet positions.
Imran Khan and his party have continued to stress that they believe the election was rigged against them and intend to contest the results.
“I warn against the misfortune of forming a government with stolen votes,” he said.
“Such broad daylight robbery is not only a disrespect to the people, but will further push the country’s economy into a downward spiral.”