Islamabad/Lahore (TIP): A day after being nominated by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), 72-year-old Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, is very likely to become Pakistan’s next PM as a post-poll alliance of leading political parties, led by them, struck a deal to form a coalition government. The last week’s elections produced a split mandate. The surprise move means the party of Imran Khan will not be in power, despite independent candidates backed by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) winning the maximum number of seats in the February 8 elections marred by allegations of rigging.
Earlier, Shehbaz along with Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan Peoples Party, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) met at the residence of Shujaat Hussain of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) for a consultative meeting and agreed on government formation. “Today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Zardari and Bilawal (Bhutto) that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said.
PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz, considered the political heir of Nawaz Sharif, had been nominated for the post of the CM of Punjab province. (PTI)