A failed move by Nawaz Sharif

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Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party chairman and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is living up to the adage of falling into a pit dug for others. Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir made a concerted effort to prevent Imran Khan, a traditional political opponent, from returning to power. Imran was put in jail under various cases.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has frozen the cricket bat, the symbol of Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Imran was disqualified from contesting the election. The only purpose behind doing all this was to end Imran’s political existence. However, the load of destiny’s dice was such that it was far from ending Imran’s party, but it has emerged as the largest political party after the general elections held on February 8.

Of course, their candidates did not contest on the party symbol. They all contested as independent candidates. The number of Independent Members of Parliament is the highest. All of them are supporters of Imran Khan. Nawaz Sharif’s party is in the second position, while Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is in the third position.

The election for the National Assembly was held for 265 seats, and 133 seats are needed to get an absolute majority. In the vote count no single party can fulfil that requirement on its own.

A coalition government is likely to be formed in Pakistan. Army chief Asif Munir has issued an appeal to form a coalition government for political stability. It gives an idea of what is going on in the army’s mind.

Nawaz Sharif has also shown readiness to form a coalition government with the PPP. Imran Khan is still confident that PTI will form the government. The election results have shown that the Pakistani deep state could not achieve what it wanted to achieve by installing a puppet regime contrary to the mood of the electorate.

In all these circumstances, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s PPP will be the kingmaker. Nawaz Sharif hastily showed his readiness to form a coalition government. Bilawal has clarified that nothing has been decided between us yet. Naturally, Bilawal is seen trying to wrest more power into his own hands.

In all these situations, the experts feel that the following are the possibilities likely to emerge:

1.  A joint government of Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be formed at the centre. Nawaz’s younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, will be the prime minister. In turn, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s father, Asif Ali Zardari, will be made president.

2.  In this coalition government, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will be Prime Minister and Shehbaz Sharif will be made President.

3.  Nawaz Sharif will become Prime Minister with the help of the army by sabotaging the elected independent MPs.

4. Imran Khan’s supporters will support independent MP Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as Prime Minister to keep Nawaz Sharif out of power.

The political situation in Pakistan is taking an interesting turn. If Nawaz Sharif does not become prime minister, all the political mechanisations he has done so far will go in vain. However, if neither Nawaz Sharif nor Shehbaz Sharif becomes prime minister, the military will regain its dominance, and the political struggle will become more extreme.

Also Read: A look at Nawaz Sharif’s performance