Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif met Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Asif Zardari in Lahore on Friday, hours after Nawaz Sharif announced abid to form coalition government.

According to sources, the meeting took place at the house of caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, where Shehbaz relayed Nawaz’s message to Zardari.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Ishaq Dar were also present during the meeting, the sources added.

Nawaz’s speech

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called on all parties to work together to work for Pakistan’s betterment on Friday. He also said that party would begin reaching out to other parties to form a coalition immediately.

In a speech to supporters in the party’s secretariat on Friday, Nawaz said he respects ‘everyone’s mandate’. He also called on everyone to sit together, whether parties or individuals.

He was flanked by daughter, Maryam Nawaz, and brother, Shehbaz. Dozens of party leaders were also present on stage while a crowd of party workers cheered them on.

The speech came as 201 out of 265 results from the National Assembly were announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan. ECP said that independents had gained 86 seats while PMLN was the largest party with 59.

He also congratulated party workers on emerging as the biggest party after the elections.

Nawaz said that he had planned to make this speech on Thursday but could not as election results were delayed.

He said that even if he had been given majority, he would still have called upon other parties and independents to sit with him.

The former prime minister said that Pakistan needs 10 years of stability if it is to prosper. He said that Pakistan was on track to become a regional power in the 1990s.

He also said that he has deputed Shehbaz Sharif to reach out to Pakistan Peoples Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other parties. He added that Shehbaz’s first meeting would take place on Friday.