[🇵🇰] Pakistan General Elections -- 2024

[ghazi]

Nawaz ‘still in the hunt’ for fourth PM stint​

Zulqernain Tahir
February 13, 2024

• Party denies impression Shehbaz picked to lead in Centre
• Marriyum says contacts with ‘partners’ continue, matters will be decided with consensus
• List of 10 independent lawmakers issued, including two MNAs-elect, who have joined PML-N after polls

LAHORE: Despite not being able to secure a simple majority in the 266-seat National Assembly, the PML-N claims that its supreme leader Nawaz Sharif is still in the hunt for the coveted slot of prime minister for a record fourth time.

As hectic efforts to hammer out some sort of power-sharing formula in the national and Punjab assemblies continued on Monday, a party insider told Dawn the leadership had been engaged in “extensive deliberations” to decide who would be the prime ministerial candidate and lay the proposal before the PPP for approval.

“As of now, Nawaz Sharif has not been ruled out as a candidate for the PM’s slot. Since the PML-N has to lead the federal coalition, many within the Maryam Nawaz camp feel why shouldn’t [the elder Sharif] take the driving seat,” the insider said.

They added that before the polls, Mr Sharif had wished to become PM for the fourth time, but unexpected results on Feb 8 had given him second thoughts, and his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif’s name popped up as the ‘favourite’ for the coveted slot.

Party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the PML-N had not yet finalised its candidate for premiership. “Communication with coalition partners is ongoing and it will be decided with their consultation,” she told a private TV channel on Monday.

Referring to a statement by party stalwart Khawaja Asif — who had told Samaa TV that Shehbaz, not elder brother Nawaz, would be the PML-N’s PM candidate — she said it was his personal opinion and did not reflect the party’s stance.

 

[ghazi]

PPP to form committee to engage with other political parties: Bilawal​

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari says the PPP has decided to form a committee to engage with other political parties for the formation of government and political stability.

“The PPP has decided that we are unable or not in a position to join federal government ourselves, nor are we interested in taking ministries in such a setup. We also don’t want to see political chaos in the country,” he said.

“The PPP has decided that we ran this election on a manifesto based on issues of public importance […] we want to restore political stability and want to end this environment of political toxicity.

“To that end, the PPP will be willing to support the case of important votes — a candidate of the PM of Pakistan — and issue to issue basis to ensure that the government is formed and political stability is restored,” Bilawal said.

 

[Malang]

PPP should ally with PTI-independent candidates and make the government in Balochistan, Sindh and Centre. PTI's Prime Minister candidate is in jail. PTI used to borrow ministers from other parties such as the finance minister from PPP, the Foreign affairs minister from PPP, Law minister from PML-Q and others. They did not have many leaders from their party who came to top posts after 2018 elections besides Imran Khan himself. So they must lend them a favour in return for overturning Imran Khan's sentence.

Jiye bhutto

 

[ghazi]

Maryam Nawaz is Punjab CM candidate: Shehbaz​

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has requested his brother Nawaz Sharif to accept the office of the prime minister.

He also said that PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz will be the Punjab chief minister candidate after the party’s consultations.

 

[ghazi]

We have decided to form govt together: Zardari​

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said that he and other political leaders gathered with him have decided to form the government together.
“We will take Pakistan out of difficulty,” he said.

 

[ghazi]

‘Mandate thieves’: PTI hits out at political coalition​

 

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[ghazi]

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif feels he can best support Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister and Maryam Nawaz as Punjab chief minister