LAHORE: Khawaja Saad Rafique, a senior leader of the PML-N, suggested on Saturday that PTI-backed independents and the PPP should collaborate to form a government at the center, as the fragmented mandate continues to fuel political uncertainty in Pakistan.
In a post shared on the popular social media platform X (formerly known as X), Saad Rafique emphasized that no single party holds an absolute majority in the current National Assembly. He argued that the responsibility of forming the federal government lies jointly with all parliamentary parties, not solely with the PML-N.
Saad Rafique urged independent members supported by PTI to take the lead and form a united central government with the PPP. He expressed the PML-N’s reluctance to bear the burden of governing under such challenging circumstances.
Earlier discussions within the PML-N, chaired by three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reportedly leaned towards the party abstaining from forming the federal government and focusing solely on Punjab, where they secured a majority with the support of independents.
However, some members advocated for a different approach, citing Pakistan’s pressing economic crisis and the need for concerted efforts to address it.
During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif emphasized that the PML-N should not compromise on its principles to gain power at the center. Rana Sanaullah, a close aide of Nawaz and head of the PML-N’s Punjab chapter, echoed this sentiment in a statement to a private TV channel, advocating for the party to assume opposition roles at the federal level.
Nawaz Sharif has already declined to lead the next government, nominating his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif as the prime ministerial candidate. This decision stemmed from his desire to avoid a fractured mandate and secure a simple majority.
Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N’s chief organizer, previously elucidated Nawaz’s decision, citing the clear majority he had received in his three previous terms as prime minister. She reiterated Nawaz’s commitment to not participating in any coalition government, as stated during his election campaign speeches.
