ACTION PUNJAB NEWS Desk: In a surprising turn of events, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated Shehbaz Sharif, the party’s president, as its candidate for prime minister instead of Nawaz Sharif, the party chief and former prime minister.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, spokesperson for the PML-N, announced that Nawaz Sharif, 74, had chosen his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, as the candidate for the prime ministerial position, with his daughter Maryam Nawaz, 50, being nominated for the chief minister of Punjab province.
“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 stated.
This decision came shortly after Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), withdrew from the prime ministerial race, pledging his party’s support to Nawaz Sharif without participating in the new government. Despite the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party-backed independent candidates securing the most seats in Parliament, the formation of the next government in Pakistan remained uncertain due to none of the major parties winning enough seats to secure a majority in the National Assembly.
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In response, Nawaz Sharif reaffirmed his belief that he would become prime minister for a fourth time, asserting his confidence during a press conference earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari expressed his support for Asif Ali Zardari, his father and former president, to return to office, emphasizing his capacity to address the country’s crises.
The political landscape remains tense as parties navigate coalition possibilities, with the Election Commission of Pakistan confirming the distribution of seats among various parties. Additionally, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has decided to collaborate with the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen and Jamaati-e-Islami parties to form governments in various regions.
However, PTI’s efforts faced a setback when a Pakistani court dismissed petitions challenging the election results filed by PTI-backed independent candidates, urging them to seek recourse with the Election Commission of Pakistan.
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(Inputs from agencies)
