At last after almost 15 days after the elections , as expected the two political parties PML(N) and PPP have reached a deal for formation of the next government. According to which PPP’s Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari would become the President of the country while the PML(N)’s central President Mian Shahbaz Sharif would be the Prime Minister for the next five years.
It was announced during a joint press conference in which both the leaders nominated for the posts of head of the state as well as head of the government along with Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and several leaders of both the parties were present. During the press conference it was also revealed that the other partners of the allied government would be PML(Q), MQM, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP).
On the occasion , it was announced that the two parties have secured required numbers in the National Assembly for government formation. Shahbaz Sharif said that the coalition is in the position to form the federal government. He said “Independent candidates should prove their majority and form the government. We will accept them wholeheartedly”.
He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formed an alliance with the Sunni Ittehad Council and Majlis Wahadat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM), but despite this, they do not have the numbers to form a government.”
Though the absence of supremo of Pakistan Muslim League(N) Nawaz Sharif was noticed at the press conference, it does not make any difference because the decision to make Shahbaz Sharif PM had full consent of his elder brother.
The incoming government would be the next episode of the PDM’s government, which came into power for 16 months after successful vote of no confidence against former Prime Minister Imran Khan but this time with the little exception that the head of former Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman will not be the part of the government, as it is very much expected that he may sit on the opposition benches.
The sitting of Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman in the opposition is indicating one thing that some authoritative circles are not ready to even allow the PTI backed independents to become opposition leader. It is also expected that the nominee of his party would be the next opposition leader despite the fact that the independents have the majority. If Fazal would sit in the opposition, then it would be a blessing in disguise for Shahbaz’s government as it would have a friendly opposition.
But it is a matter of great concern that during the press conference all the leaders did not utter even a single word about the plight of the people that are suffering due to the acute price hike of the energy sector including petroleum, gas and electricity as well as food commodities, which created excessive inflation in the country. The salaried class does not find any way out from the mess in which it has been trapped due to hostile policies of the former PDM led government.
Now the same financial team would be at the helm of affairs in the next government, who took the price of fuel to that level and threw the middle class in hot waters. The majority of people in the country have left no money to afford the education of their children or treatment of ailing member of their family after paying hefty utility bills on a monthly basis.
Now all the political matters have been settled down to make the new government, but now it would be the responsibility of all the allied partners of the next government to reduce the prices to win the confidence of the people or else it seems that the people would be on roads to show anger very soon.