In a surprise development, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Tuesday nominated its president Shehbaz Sharif as the prime ministerial candidate of Pakistan instead of the party supremo and three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif.
Taking to X, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, 74, has nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, a candidate for the slot of prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, 50, for chief minister of Punjab province.
پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) کے قائد جناب محمد نوازشریف نے وزیراعظم اسلامی جمہوریہ پاکستان کے عہدے کےلئے جناب محمد شہبازشریف کو نامزد کر دیا ہے جبکہ وزیراعلی پنجاب کے عہدے کےلئے محترمہ مریم نوازشریف کو نامزد کیا ہے۔ جناب محمد نوازشریف نے پاکستان کے عوام اور سیاسی تعاون فراہم کرنے والی…
— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 13, 2024
“Nawaz Sharif has thanked the political parties which provided support to the PML-N (in forming the upcoming government) and expressed hope that through such decisions Pakistan will come out of crises,” she said.
The development comes a few hours after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari withdrew from the prime ministerial race, saying his party would support ex-premier Nawaz without being part of the new government.
Despite independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party springing a surprise by winning the most seats in Parliament, questions were looming over what the next government of Pakistan will look like five days after the general elections.
None of the three major parties, the PML-N, the PPP, or the PTI have won the necessary seats in the February 8 general elections to secure a majority in the National Assembly and, therefore, will be unable to form government on their own, leading to a hung Parliament.
PML-N reportedly enjoys the backing of the powerful Pakistan Army.
Addressing a press conference here after the meeting of the PPP’s high-powered Central Executive Committee (CEC), held under his leadership, Bilawal has said the reality is that his party does not have a mandate to form a federal government.
“Due to this, I will not be putting myself forward for the candidacy of the prime minister of Pakistan,” the 35-year-old former foreign minister said, adding that PML-N and the independents have greater numbers in the Centre.
Earlier in the day, former prime minister Shehbaz reaffirmed that Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister for a record fourth time.
“I had said that Nawaz Sharif would become prime minister for the fourth time. And I maintain today that he is going to be the PM for the fourth time,” Shehbaz told a press conference.
Shehbaz said he has spoken to Bilawal and his father Asif Ali Zardari and thanked them for their support to Nawaz Sharif.
The PML-N and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have also held a meeting on Tuesday on government formation.
Both parties agreed to move forward with mutual cooperation and Shehbaz Sharif thanked the MQM-P, which has 17 lawmakers in Parliament for its support.
With inputs from NDTV