ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has given the go-ahead to the party for the formation of coalition governments with the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) in the Centre and Punjab. The party will form a coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI-backed independent candidates have secured a two-thirds majority by winning 88 seats out of 113.
Addressing a press conference here in the federal capital, PTI’s central secretary of information, Rauf Hassan, said that on the directives of the party’s founder, Imran Khan, they will form a government in the center, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
‘In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we will form a government in collaboration with Jamaat-e-Islami. The party chairman has given authority to Ali Amin Gandapur, nominated as his party’s candidate for KP’s chief minister.’
Imran Khan has directed that intra-party elections be conducted soon.
Rauf Hassan said, ‘Imran Khan’s message is that whoever wins the elections should be allowed to form the government. We don’t have much time. We are handing over the country to money launderers.’ A consensus was reached on PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami’s collaboration for forming the government.
He said that a committee has been formed in the PTI core committee meeting for government formation and has started its work, and contacts have been made with the leadership of PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami. On Tuesday, contact was made between both parties, and consensus was reached on working together. Terms of Reference (TORs) regarding the inclusion of independent members will be prepared.
Barrister Gohar, Azam Swati, and Ali Amin Gandapur are part of the negotiating committee from PTI’s side, while Professor Ibrahim, Liaqat Baloch, and Anayatullah are included from Jamaat-e-Islami’s side.
According to the final results released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), PTI-backed independent candidates secured victory in 93 out of the total 266 general seats in the National Assembly. Following closely behind, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 75 seats, Pakistan People’s Party secured 54 seats, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan obtained 17 seats, and Independent candidates clinched 8 seats. If PTI successfully forms a coalition and its Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) align with Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), they could be entitled to additional reserve seats in proportion to their total representation in the NA. This alignment could potentially result in PTI acquiring more than 20 reserve seats.
To obtain reserve seats upon joining the MWM, PTI-backed candidates must submit affidavits to the ECP confirming their affiliation with the MWM. Subsequently, the MWM’s leader must formally notify the ECP in writing of their acceptance of the independent candidates.
For a simple majority in the National Assembly, a party must secure at least 169 seats.
Earlier today, Former Prime Minister and President of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Shahbaz Sharif, said, ‘If PTI-sponsored independent candidates can form the government, then go ahead, we will sit in the opposition.’
During a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Rana Sanaullah referred to the defeat of their candidates, saying that our losing candidates have accepted defeat wholeheartedly.
