The drama about the formation of the central government in Pakistan continues. The Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have agreed to form a coalition government, but the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has not given up hope.
He said his party won two-thirds of the seats in the February 8 elections. Many of these seats were rigged and lost. His party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will be able to form the government by recovering them through the courts.
Meanwhile, in a message sent through family members, Imran Khan warned against the “misadventure” of forming a government on stolen votes in the country.
Imran, who is in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, said that the people of Pakistan have clearly declared their verdict. And this is why democracy and justice are absolutely necessary in elections. I warn against the misadventure of forming a government on stolen votes. Such open daylight robbery will not only dishonor citizens, but will also push the country’s economy into further decline.
He said, “PTI will never compromise with the will of the people and I have given clear instructions to my party against allying with any political party, including PPP, PML-N and MQM, that are stealing people’s mandate.”
PTI spokesperson Rauf Hasan said that they will form an alliance with the Majlis-e-Wahdat-Muslimeen (MWM) party to form the government at the center and Punjab province under the direction of Imran Khan.
He said that Imran Khan has ruled out any possibility of government formation talks with PML-N, PPP and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P). He also asked PTI to form an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province with reserved seats.
According to the country’s constitution, political parties have to form the government by February 29.
Shahbaz Sharif, whom the PML-N wants to make the next prime minister, led the coalition government when Imran Khan was ousted in 2022. He is seen as more respectful of the military than his brother Nawaz Sharif. As a result, if Shahbaz becomes the prime minister, the control of the government will be in the hands of the military.
Analysts say the Shahbaz Sharif-led coalition government was deeply unpopular and failed to tackle the economic crisis. Inflation has hit record highs.
Even if the PTI members sit in opposition in Parliament, they will pose a serious challenge to a possible coalition government. Dozens of these PTI candidates have accused the military of counting votes and vowed to fight in court to challenge the results. Many Pakistanis say allegations of widespread vote rigging are undermining the legitimacy of Nawaz Sharif’s coalition. PTI leaders have accused government formation on ‘stolen votes’.
Jamaat will not ally with PTI
PTI had proposed to form the provincial government of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. Jamaat rejected their proposal.
Amir Mohammad Ibrahim Khan of JI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said on Tuesday that his party will not form an alliance with PTI. And PTI’s talk of forming a government by forming an alliance with them has no basis.
Zardari wants to be president
PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari can become the new president of the country if PML-N is able to form the government.
PML-N and PPP have already reached a consensus to form a coalition government. As part of that consensus, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s father, Asif Ali Zardari, has been nominated as the President of Pakistan.
If Asif Ali Zardari wins, he will become the President of Pakistan for the second time. Before that, he was the president from 2008 to 2013.
Zardabi is widely known as ‘Mr Ten Percent’. He spent a total of 11 years in prison for various corruption, murder and extortion charges in Pakistan and abroad. He is a rich polo player and also known as ‘Polo Playing Playboy’. His wife Benazir Bhutto was a two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan. He was killed in 2007.
