After the dust settled from the 2024 general elections and their aftermath, political alliances began to form, with the possibility of forming a coalition government in the country, as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) met on Sunday.
The two political parties, which emerged as the second and third most successful in the February 8 elections, discussed the possibility of forming an alliance to rule the country, in what was described as the first official contact between the two sides since the electoral process concluded.
A team led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif met with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House in Lahore to seek their cooperation in establishing the government, according to a joint statement issued by the parties.
In response, the PPP leadership informed PML-N leaders that the suggestion will be reviewed in the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on Monday (today).
The gathering covered the country’s general position as well as potential political collaboration. According to the statement, the PML-N and the PPP have reached an agreement in principle on political collaboration.
Both sides agreed to “save the country” from political turmoil, it said.
It is worth noting that PML-N and PPP were the two primary members of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
In April 2022, a coalition toppled Imran Khan’s administration and governed the country for the next 16 months.
The new wheeling and dealing between political groups began as poll results for practically all National Assembly constituencies were nearing completion.
According to sources, Shehbaz also visited Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the second time in 24 hours.
According to sources, the PML-N leader took Fazl into confidence on the topic, notwithstanding his worries about the election results.
Furthermore, Fazl requested time for consultations with his party’s top leadership during a meeting on Wednesday.