Pakistan suspense ends, Shehbaz Sharif will become new Prime Minister, Maryam selected as Punjab Chief Minister Exclusive

Following the pending verdict in the national elections, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday decided to form a coalition government led by Sherbaz Sharif.

Sources close to Nawaz Sharif told CNN-News18 Shehbaz will become Pakistan’s new prime minister, while Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam will become the chief minister of Punjab.

PPP will support the government from the outside. Asif Ali Zardari is likely to become president and his son Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will enter politics in the National Assembly.

Sources close to the PML-N said that under the current circumstances, Nawaz Sharif is not keen on becoming the prime minister for a fourth term.

The establishment hopes to establish a comfortable government under Shehbaz and implement economic plans and bring borrowings to the country with Asif’s support. Asif hopes to be elected president for a second time.

The establishment is also uneasy because of the anti-military stance of the Nawaz-led government. The Army believes Shehbaz will make a good CEO and enable the government to do what is expected.

Nawaz Sharif on Monday held talks with other political parties on behalf of Shehbaz to form the government.

Asif and Shehbaz are likely to meet in Lahore tonight for discussions and their meeting will be conveyed to the agency.

Shehbaz, 72, previously led the government after Imran Khan was voted out in April 2022.

The Election Commission of Pakistan announced that most independent candidates backed by PTI won 101 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75 seats, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with 54 seats, and Pakistan Muttahida The Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) won 17 seats.

To form a government, a party must win 133 of the 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly. Other parties secured 17 seats, while the results of 1 constituency were retained.