Pakistan Elections: Talks to form government remain inconclusive after several rounds

Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan Election Results 2024: Twelve days after India's western neighbour went to polls, there remains inconclusive progress on a power-sharing deal between the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP). On Tuesday (Feb 20), top leaders of the two parties could not agree to the way they could potentially form the government. 

The fifth round of the meeting saw the participation of prominent leaders from both parties who have pledged to work together in Pakistan's national interest. 

In an informal conversation with reporters after the first round of the meeting, PML-N leader Azam Nazir Tarar conveyed a positive trajectory in the ongoing discussions.

"Some things have already been decided on the matter of PPP's inclusion in the cabinet," Tarar was quoted as saying by Geo News.

What is the alliance snag about?

The PPP is reportedly asking for key constitutional positions of President, Chairman Senate, and Speaker of the National Assembly for its support to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N, Press Trust of India reported. 

Pakistan Elections: Bilawal's powerplay to be prime minister?

Sources cited by the Press Trust of India said that the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was playing smartly by allegedly trying to bring PML-N to a point where it withdrew from making a coalition government and then launching himself as prime minister and form a government with the support of independent members of the national assembly of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) who have now joined the Sunni Ittehad Council.

The PTI, however, has already rejected the possibility of supporting the PPP.

Meanwhile, Bilawal on Tuesday said he foresees a "stalemate" in the formation of a coalition government "if someone is not ready to change their stance".

"If someone else wants to change their stance, there can be progress. If they are not ready to change it, I foresee a stalemate," he said, adding that this would not benefit democracy or the parliamentary system.

"If I want to give the PML-N a vote, I will have to give it on my terms and not theirs," the former foreign minister told reporters at the Supreme Court.

"The delay [in forming the government] is because of non-seriousness," he said, adding that the situation is harming Pakistan's democracy.

"The faster this is resolved, it will be better for stability and the incoming government," he said.

Pakistan's national elections have been controversial with several serious accusations of widespread rigging to alter the results. 

But there remains no clarity on which party would form the government at the Centre.

Also read | Pakistan top court postpones hearing on case seeking to annul Feb 8 election results

While the independent candidates backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan won the maximum number of seats in Parliament, PML-N and PPP announced that they will form a coalition government.

But even after multiple rounds of talks, a final decision in the context of PPP's inclusion in the Cabinet has not happened.

Also watch | Pakistan Elections 2024: Who will form the government in Pakistan?

To form a government, a party or coalition must have 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly.

Independent candidates, most of whom are backed by the PTI, won 93 National Assembly seats in the 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.

(With inputs from agencies)