Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman says firm 'no' to power-sharing talks with PML-N, PPP

Islamabad [Pakistan], February 12 : At a time when there is growing discontent among people in Pakistan over delay in election results, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has said a firm no to having power-sharing talks with political parties of Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Dawn reported.
However, he has said that PTI has decided to merge with another political party as the lack of reserved seats would hinder their chances of forming a government. But, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) or Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is what they are not looking forward to.
While speaking to Dawn, Barrister Gohar Khan revealed on Sunday, "We don't feel comfortable with both of them. There will be no talks with anyone to make a government or to make a government together with them. It is better to sit in the opposition than to make a government [with them], but we think we have the majority."
He restated the party's threat to build a formidable opposition if its mandate was rejected.
The PTI would undoubtedly encounter difficulties attempting to secure a majority in any assembly and forming a government due to the reserved seat problem, reported Dawn.
Despite having the most directly elected members in the assembly, because of their independent status, they are ineligible for reserved seats for women and minorities, which are distributed to the parties based on lists submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) before the general elections.
The PTI may try to ally with one of the other parties in the electoral mix after writing off the PML-N and PPP, the two biggest parties in the provinces and the centre.
The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which has three representatives in the KP assembly, is one possibility. As the two joined a ruling coalition in 2013, they had some experience collaborating as partners in the KP government. But in May 2018, at the end of the provincial government's term, that alliance was formally disbanded, according to Dawn.
A potential coalition with the Majils-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), one of the groups that have been in the PTI's camp for a while, was another alternative that had been mentioned previously.
Notably, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PPP President Asif Ali Zardari held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday. The two parties have agreed "in principle to save the country from political instability."
The leaders of two parties spoke about the overall situation of the country and political cooperation in the future, according to the statement released by PML-N President on X. Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari agreed to cooperate politically to bring the nation to political stability.
Meanwhile, Secretariat of the PPP Chairman stated that it was the PPP's first meeting with PML-N over the government's formation. The two parties discussed government formation.
In a post on X, Secretariat of the PPP Chairman stated, "Lahore: First official contact of Pakistan Muslim League-N with the leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party for government formation. PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif reached Bilawal House to seek cooperation from the Pakistan Peoples Party in government formation. President PPP Asif Ali Zardari, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif discussed government formation."
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers held protests in different cities of Pakistan against alleged rigging in the results of general elections held on February 8.
PTI workers held a protest outside the district election commissioner's office in Rawalpindi's Sadiqabad. The police personnel deployed in Rawalpindi reportedly used tear gas and charged batons to disperse the protesters.
Police arrested PTI supporters staging protests in Rawalpindi over the results of the elections conducted on February 8 after the latter closed routes leading up to the entrance of the district election commission's office, The Express Tribune reported.
A number of police officers were deployed in the area. The closure of the district office also affected the road leading to the press club.
The protesters offered support to PTI's founder, Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Adiala jail. All police stations have been asked to take action against protests taking place within their respective jurisdictions.