Nawaz Sharif’s party, Pakistan Peoples Party fail to reach agreement on sharing power

Islamabad, February 18

The talks between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on a power-sharing formula for a coalition government remained inconclusive, though both sides claimed “significant progress” in the discussions, according to a media report on Sunday.

Panel formed to probe ‘irregularities’

• Pakistan’s election commission has formed a panel to probe the allegations of Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha that rigging took place against Imran’s party in Rawalpindi.
• After levelling the allegations, Chattha resigned on Saturday.

The third meeting between the contact and coordination committees (CCCs) of the two parties, which took place on Saturday, remained inconclusive and both decided to meet again on Monday to finalise the power-sharing formula.

A brief announcement issued by the PML-N after the meeting said that there had been “significant progress” in talks with both sides, stressing the need for a “strong democratic government”.

“The proposals put forth by both parties were thoroughly discussed, and while substantial progress was achieved, further deliberations are required to finalise the matters at hand,” a joint statement read. Nawaz Sharif led PML-N has nominated Shehbaz Sharif for the PM’s post.

Independent candidates, a majority backed by former PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, won 93 of the 265 National Assembly seats that were contested in the February 8 election. The PML-N won 75 seats while the PPP came third with 54 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has also agreed to support them with their 17 seats. To form a government, a party must win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led PPP has assured the PML-N of its support in the government formation and election of the next prime minister on the condition that, in return, it will get key constitutional offices, including that of the president.

Meanwhile, jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s party has demanded a judicial commission to probe a senior bureaucrat’s allegation that the election body and the top judiciary were involved in vote rigging.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha on Saturday alleged that the candidates who were “losing” the elections “were made to win” in the city. Before resigning, he claimed that 13 candidates from Rawalpindi were forcefully declared winners. Chattha accepted responsibility” for the poll manipulation.