According to sources, the alliance is likely to follow a PDM-style arrangement, with PPP taking the chief minister’s slot and PML-N getting the governorship. Ministries would be divided on a 60/40 formula in PPP’s favour.

In unofficial and provisional results from 21 of the 24 assembly seats declared so far, PPP leads with nine seats, followed by independent candidates on seven, PML-N on four and Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen on one. Results from three constituencies are still awaited.

The coalition talks come after a high-level meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari discussed the GB election results, the situation in Azad Kashmir and matters of national importance.

The meeting was attended by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and political adviser Rana Sanaullah, along with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other senior leaders.

PM Shehbaz congratulated President Zardari on PPP’s victory, smiling as he remarked that the young Bilawal had run a better campaign than his own party. Zardari smiled back and replied: “After all, whose son is he!”

The prime minister had earlier congratulated the people of Gilgit-Baltistan on holding successful, peaceful and transparent elections, and singled out PPP for special mention on emerging as the largest party.