New Delhi:
In the wake of the 2024 Pakistani elections, the two main political players, the Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have announced a coalition to jointly rule the nation.
Despite securing the most seats as independent candidates, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) falls short of a majority, prompting the PML-N and the PPP to work together to have a shot at forming the government. However, this coalition raises several questions about leadership, the division of key roles and the overall feasibility of their partnership.
Key players and positions
A press conference announcing the coalition on Tuesday featured prominent leaders including PML-N's Shehbaz Sharif, PPP's Asif Ali Zardari and representatives of other smaller parties. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif emerged as the potential candidate for the premiership and he expressed his willingness to include Imran Khan's PTI in the government for the betterment of the country.
The PPP's decision to withdraw its chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, from the premiership race signals a strategic move to gain support for the PML-N. According to DawnBilawal Bhutto-Zardari acknowledged that his party did not have sufficient mandate to lead the government. The scion of the Bhutto-Zardari clan clarified that the PPP had rejected a coalition with the PTI and accepted the PML-N's invitation, citing the PTI's refusal to cooperate.
PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that Nawaz Sharif, 74, has nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan.
“Nawaz Sharif thanked the political parties who extended support to the PML-N (in forming the next government) and expressed hope that Pakistan will come out of the crises through such decisions,” she said in a statement.
However, Imran Khan, who is currently in jail on corruption charges, has ruled out cooperation, paving the way for possible political tensions. The division of key positions within the coalition remained unclear, creating room for negotiations and speculation.
Numbers
The coalition faces the challenge of forming a government with a minimum required number of 169 seats and potentially achieving a two-thirds majority of 224 seats in the 336-member Pakistan National Assembly.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has confirmed that the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition comprising PML-N, PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, IPP and BAP won a total of 152 general seats in the recent elections. According to DawnWith the addition of 60 seats for women and 10 minority seats, the coalition is poised to surpass the minimum requirement of 169 seats needed to form a government.
The crucial hurdle, however, remains reaching the 224 seats for a two-thirds majority in the 336-member General Assembly.
The fate of the reserved seats depends on the decisions of 101 independents, including 92 PTI-backed independents, who emerged victorious.
Internal dynamics
The PML-N's announcement of Shehbaz Sharif as its prime minister-designate initially suggested a preference for Nawaz Sharif to return to office. Later it became clear that Nawaz Sharif endorsed Shehbaz as leader. Moreover, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif, was named as the coalition's candidate for the post of Chief Minister of Punjab Province.
Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of PPP, has advocated inclusivity by proposing talks with Imran Khan's PTI.
Challenges and unanswered questions
The joint press conference left several questions unanswered, creating uncertainty about the stability of the coalition and its ability to form a functional government. The lack of details on the division of key roles and the process of government formation underlined the need for further negotiations between the coalition partners.
Allegations of electoral fraud during the election, which saw the country's mobile network shut down on election day, sparked controversy. Imran Khan announced plans to challenge the election results in the Supreme Court.
The success of this coalition in forming the next government depends on effective negotiations, internal cohesion and addressing the challenges posed by allegations of electoral irregularities.