Pakistan elections: Nawaz Sharif nominates brother Shehbaz as Prime Ministerial candidate

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been nominated as the next premier to lead a new coalition alliance formed between different parties announced a spokeswoman on Tuesday after national elections last week returned a hung parliament.

Taking to X, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said, “PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, 74, has nominated his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, a candidate for the slot of prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, 50, for chief minister of Punjab province.”

“Nawaz Sharif has thanked the political parties which provided support to the PMLN (in forming the upcoming government) and expressed hope that through such decisions Pakistan will come out of crises,” she added.

Shehbaz Sharif is affiliated with the PML-N, led by his brother, Nawaz Sharif, which is the largest recognised party with 75 seats. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) holds the second position with 54 seats. Combined, these two parties have sufficient seats to secure a simple majority in the 266-seat legislature.

On Tuesday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari withdrew from contention for the prime ministerial position and announced that his party would endorse any nominee put forward by the PML-N, led by Nawaz Sharif.

The PPP on Tuesday announced its decision to back Sharif's party in establishing a minority government, resolving a deadlock following inconclusive elections in the nuclear-armed nation. Bhutto further stated that his party would refrain from participating in the cabinet.

Nevertheless, this alliance has quelled concerns regarding government formation, coming five days after the Feb. 8 elections yielded a divided outcome and raised fears of renewed instability.

Independent candidates backed by jailed former premier Imran Khan have won 92 seats, making them the largest group, but they cannot form a government on their own, having run as individuals and not a party, and have ruled out alliances with PML-N or PPP.

Bhutto Zardari said that Khan's independent candidates and the PML-N collectively held more seats than his party, though Khan had dismissed the idea of forming an alliance with the PPP.

Independents win 101 seats

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, independent candidates, largely backed by the PTI, secured 101 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75 seats, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 54 seats, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) with 17 seats.

To establish a government, a party must secure 133 seats out of the 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. Other parties garnered 17 seats, while the outcome of one constituency was withheld.

(With inputs from agencies)