PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique has reminded politicians that the formation of a federal government was a joint responsibility of all political parties in Parliament, not just his party.

“No one has [an] absolute majority in the present National Assembly,” he said in a post on X on Saturday.

His statement comes after an inside story from the PML-N meeting revealed that party leaders have informed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif they “should not take the government”.

It is expected that the South Asian country would see a Pakistan Democratic Movement redux in the Centre—similar to the one that ruled the country for 16 months after the ouster of ex-PM Imran Khan.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has emerged as the joint coalition candidate for the prime ministerial position. The old coalition partners in the assembly would support him.

Unlike in the past, this time the PPP has refused to join the future government, but had assured the PML-N of its support in the formation of the government and election of the prime minister.

In the meantime, the PTI, along with religio-political parties, has announced its decision to protest against alleged rigging in elections. The party has also stated that it would sit in opposition in Centre and Punjab.

Sources told Aaj News that the third round of meetings between the PPP and the PML-N coordination committees was postponed to Saturday (today) from Friday. The decision was made due to the N-league committee meeting with the party leadership.

Leaders are expected to finalise the formation of the government.

‘Crown of thorns’

At the party meeting, sources said that Sharif stated that the N-league should not accept “unprincipled demands” from anyone.

Some participants in the meeting highlighted that the country was facing an economic crisis and efforts should be made to improve the economy.

While others said that the focus should be on Punjab as the party “can form a government there.”

Earlier, it was reported that the PPP wanted to finalise the government formation soon with an agreement. The Sindh based party has sought the PML-N’s support for the president, National Assembly speaker, and the Senate chairman positions. It has also called for making a comprehensive plan for economic stability.

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Sources said that the PPP has sought the Senate chairman seat while the PML-N wanted to have the NA deputy speaker seat. The names of Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf are under consideration for the NA speaker position.

Provisional results by the Election Commission of Pakistan have shown that independent candidates were victorious in maximum NA seats. Political parties have accepted the results but slammed the PTI for challenging results where they have lost seats.

PML-N’s Rafique was part of the party’s meeting with the PPP after the general elections. Like has accepted the defeat, however, he has highlighted that no party had a complete majority in the NA.

Like Shehbaz, he invited independent members supported by PTI to take the initiative to form a joint central government with the PPP.

“We will congratulate you. PML-N has no desire to decorate this crown of thorns on its head,” Rafique.

Rafique’s warning

Rafique also shared a clip from his National Assembly speech in June 2020.

“There will be a time when those who award the prime ministerial position will be offering the position and there will be no one to take it,” he said as the lawmakers in the House thumped desks.

“Who wants to become a minister? What is the need to become a minister? Risk your life for five years, sacrifice your children’s time, and don’t do business. Restore a weak institution and then a person comes who damages all your efforts and you are watching all this from the jail. Time is not far away when those who award the ministries will be offering the positions and there will be no one to take them.”