After days of talks, the two major parties finally agreed on a power-sharing formula under which Shehbaz Sharif would be nominated for the PM Office while Asif Ali Zardari would contest for the presidency.
The deal was finalized on Tuesday between the coordination committees of Pakistan Muslim Legaue-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) amid talk of blackmailing among the former coalition partners.
The agreement between Bhutto Zardari’s PPP and the PML-N of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif ends days of uncertainty and negotiations after the Feb 8 elections produced a hung national assembly.
The PPP chairperson announced the agreement at a late-night press conference in the federal capital.
Shehbaz Sharif, who was seated beside Bilawal, said the two parties had the numbers to form the government and also had the support of other smaller parties.
PML-N is the largest party with 79 seats and PPP is second with 54. They, along with four other smaller parties, have a comfortable majority in the legislature of 336 seats.
According to sources, the PPP will not become part of Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet at any stage but will get top constitutional offices including the presidency.
The party will also not take any portfolio in the Punjab cabinet.
