With discussions between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalling, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned Tuesday of a “dangerous stalemate” if “someone” does not change their position on government formation.
“Progress [in talks] is only possible if’someone’ is willing to shift their viewpoint […] “We stand by our position and will not change it,” Bilawal stated, without mentioning PML-N.
He made these remarks during a media briefing outside Pakistan’s Supreme Court after attending a presidential reference hearing on Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s death sentence.
Bilawal’s statements came as the coordination committees of the PML-N and PPP are scheduled to convene a sixth meeting today to reach an agreement on the composition of the future government.
After both parties failed to obtain enough National Assembly seats to form a government at the Centre.
The bilateral discussions have dragged on due to the PPP’s refusal to join the PML-N cabinet despite agreeing to support its choice for prime minister. However, in exchange for its support for the PML-N, Bilawal’s party is targeting crucial constitutional positions, including the presidency for Asif Ali Zardari.
Attempts have been underway by all major political stakeholders to rope in independent candidates and forge alliances to reach the necessary 169 seats in the 336-member lower house of parliament after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidates emerged as the largest group by winning more than 90 NA seats, followed by the PML-N and PPP’s 79 and 54 seats, respectively.
Bilawal said that this deadlock over talks would neither be beneficial for the democracy nor the economy.
When asked if he was in touch with the establishment, Bilawal said: “Where is the evidence that I am involved with the establishment? Give evidence before accusing me.”
He said that the people did not give a majority to just one party. “The people have given such a decision on which all the stakeholders will have to come to a consensus.”
