Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has taken a firm stand in negotiations with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, after securing the third-largest number of seats in the February 8 general elections. PPP is demanding the prime ministerial position for its leader and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, offering support to form a provincial government in Punjab in return.

Since the announcement of election results, the three largest parties – independents affiliated with jailed ex-PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), PML-N, and PPP – have been vying to form the next government at the Centre and in four provinces. PTI secured 95 seats, PML-N obtained 74, and PPP got 54 seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. A coalition of PPP, PML-N, and smaller parties had been governing Pakistan since the ouster of Imran in April 2022.

According to sources, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif conveyed to his elder brother Nawaz and other senior party leaders that former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari demanded the position of PM for Bilawal during their meeting on Friday night. However, PML-N is reluctant to concede the PM slot.

PPP information secretary Faisal Karim Kundi suggested that Bilawal should consider sitting in the opposition if he doesn’t secure the PM post in a stable coalition. “We should prioritize our party and continue serving people from that position,” Kundi said.

Imran’s PTI claimed a landslide victory and rejected talks with PML-N and PPP. It intends to form the federal government independently and is willing to contest election results it deems manipulated. “We don’t feel comfortable with both of them for talks. It is better to sit in opposition than to form a government with them,” PTI’s interim chief Barrister Gohar Khan said.

Imran said 95 of 102 independent candidates were backed by PTI and remained its loyalists. He emphasized PTI’s near victory in Punjab and its two-thirds majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also demanded the release of PTI’s “political prisoners” in response to Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir’s call for stability and reconciliation.