Zardari rejects PML-N’s offer, parties fail to reach power-sharing formula
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has revealed that he has turned down the power-sharing formula between his party and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's factions one by one in the government
Karachi: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), has revealed that he has turned down the power-sharing formula between his party and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s factions one by one in the government, as he does not want to assume this top position without the public’s vote of confidence.
The 35-year-old former Foreign Minister and PPP candidate for the prime ministership had hopes of winning the Ministry of the Prime Minister in the February 8 elections, but his party secured only 54 seats in the National Assembly.
His party, which trailed behind Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) with 90 confirmed independent members and Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), now in jail, in securing 133 seats out of the 266-member National Assembly needed to form a government.
Despite several meetings between the PPP and PML-N, they could not agree on the power-sharing formula. Addressing a rally in Thatta, Sindh province, on a day of thanksgiving, Bilawal said that the PML-N had proposed to him that they should be allowed to become prime minister for 3 years and then he could assume the position for the next 2 years. I refused.
“I don’t want to become prime minister in this way. I will only become prime minister after being elected by the Pakistani people. Without taking anyone’s name, Bilawal said that his party will not take ministries. His father Asif Ali Zardari will be the PPP’s presidential candidate. We have decided to control the spread of fire in the country. After assuming the presidency, they will extinguish this fire and save the center and the provinces. He said that the country needs a political party that talks about people’s issues. Economic and political crises have divided society. Politicians and political parties should think about the people of this country instead of their own interests.
Bilawal appealed to all political parties to stay within the system and work for the betterment of the country. Responding to Bilawal’s comments, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Ishaq Dar said that it is not right to reveal the details of the ongoing discussions between political parties to form the next government.
