New Delhi: Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Nawaz Sharif has announced his intention to form a coalition government with the help of his former allies, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan).
The unofficial results of the election show that the independent candidates, mostly backed by former prime minister Imran Khan, have led with 87 seats, followed by PML-N with 60 seats and PPP with 45 seats. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif claimed that his party had won the election amid a precarious economic and political crisis created by Imran Khan’s ouster from power.
In a speech in Lahore, Sharif said that he has tasked Shehbaz Sharif with meeting Fazlur Rehman, Khalid Maqboo Siddiqui, and Asif Ali Zardari. It was also announced that Shehbaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar would hold meetings as part of the outreach efforts. Sharif assured that all parties and independent candidates will work together to form a unity government in the country. He said, “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.”
Explaining the need for stability in the country, Sharif said, “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.”