Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto's parties agree for 'political cooperation' in major blow to PTI
File photo of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif alongside Bilawal Bhuto-Zardari
Pakistan Elections 2024 Results: The negotiations to form a new government in Islamabad are taking place in full swing in Lahore at the residence of caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. A day after the Feb 8 general elections, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had hinted at the formation of a national unity government.
On Friday night, PML-N’s Shehbaz Sharif met with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and his son, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,in Lahore,Dawn reported.
"The meeting was a kind of beginning of something big," a PPP source was quoted as saying by the Dawn.
"It was a brief discussion but apparently it ended on a positive note."
A joint statement issued after the meeting said the two parties had agreed "in principle" on political cooperation.
“In the meeting, the overall situation of the country and political cooperation in the future were discussed in detail,” the statement said. It added that the two parties had agreed on cooperating to bring political stability.
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Pakistan Elections 2024: PTI-backed candidate switches to PML(N)
Meanwhile, in the first instance of an Imran Khan-backed candidate switching sides following the results of the Feb 8 national elections, Waseem Qadir, an independent candidate who emerged victorious in Lahore's NA-121 constituency, has officially joined Nawaz Sharif's party Pakistan Muslim League (N).
In a video shared by the party, Qadir, standing alongside PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, declared, "I have come back to my home."
"Waseem Qadir, the successful independent candidate from National Assembly Constituency NA-121 Lahore, officially announced his joining of Pakistan Muslim League (N)," said PML-N in a post on X.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced in a post saying Qadir is a PTI-backed candidate.
Notably, Qadir had won from NA-121 after defeating PML-N's Sheikh Rohale Asghar.
Earlier, the PTI chairperson Barrister Gohar Khan said that all the political leaders who switched sides in the past were outright rejected by the people in the February 8 elections.
"The rest of the independent candidates are in touch with us and will stay with us only," Gohar Ali Khan told the Geo News.
Also watch |Pakistan Elections 2024: PML-N, PPP issue joint statement, agree on political cooperation
Independent candidates supported by the PTI have emerged on top of the winning charts, securing 93 seats in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have claimed 78 and 54 seats, respectively.
Despite the suspension of mobile phone and internet services, the voter participation exceeded 50 per cent of the total population, according to Geo News.
(With inputs from agencies)