Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have discussed the possibility of appointing prime ministers from their respective parties for half of a five-year term under a power-sharing formula.
PML-N leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, along with PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will share the PM Office if the negotiations succeed.
The idea of appointing a prime minister for half the term was discussed during their first meeting on Sunday following the February 8 elections, as part of their efforts to form a coalition government at the Centre and in the provinces, Geo News reported citing the sources familiar with the development.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party won 75 seats, while the party of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari secured 54 seats. Independent candidates backed by the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan won the most seats - 93 - and they are also seeking allies to form a government.
Candidates were competing for 264 seats out of the assembly's total of 336, with an additional 70 reserved seats.
A similar power-sharing formula was implemented by the PML-N and the National Party (NP) in Balochistan in 2013 when chief ministers from both parties shared office for half of the five-year term.
During the Sunday meeting at Bilawal House in Lahore, the two sides agreed in principle to cooperate for the country’s political stability following the general election.
The meeting was attended by PPP-Parliamentarian President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari, and former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from the PML-N.
A joint statement issued after the meeting described the discussions as cordial, expressing a commitment to prioritizing the nation’s interests and well-being above all else.