PTI puts wheels in motion for coalition govt

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday charted its own course for coalition-building at the Centre and in Punjab, hitching its wagon of independents to the Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM).

The party’s founder and former prime minister Imran Khan also gave the green light to coalition with two parties, namely the MWM in the Centre and Punjab, and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for reserved seats.

PTI’s Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan announced the decision at a news conference in Islamabad.

“We're heading towards government formation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, doubling down on efforts for the Centre, and figuring out what to do about the Punjab government," Hasan said.

"These are his (Imran’s) decisions, and we are going to implement them. We've already started working on them," he added.

In addition, he revealed that the incarcerated party leader has identified three parties - PML-N, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, and PPP - but beyond them, he's given the party the nod to reach out to all other political parties.

Imran has instructed the party to sit down with parties and partner with them to form not just a coalition government but a democratic authority.

Moreover, Amir Dogar was appointed as the party's chief whip in the National Assembly.

The party’s central information secretary said that Imran's directive for intra-party elections to be held as soon as possible also landed on the table, adding that he was determined to hold it as he was responsible for it.

“As per our estimates, around 180 seats were the PTI’s in the NA but whatever has come after reducing them is before you. The first precondition according to him (Imran) is that a government be allowed to form in line with the mandate the nation has given and be allowed to continue because only this would make it possible to increase the confidence and investment of overseas Pakistanis.”

The spokesperson asserted that approximately 65 seats had been "absconded" from the party, urging a swift restitution.

Read Seen from abroad, Pakistan elections disappoint, add to instability

Imran emphasised a cautionary note for the “current power players”, urging them to reflect on their actions, saying that the rightful winners of the election deserve the opportunity to assume governance and should be accorded that right.

Meanwhile, in a media interaction at Adiala Jail, Imran Khan said that the PTI-backed candidates secured over 90 seats in the National Assembly, surpassing the PML-N with 75 seats.

Imran firmly ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition government with the PML-N, the PPP, and the MQM-P.

He accused the leaders of those parties of being "the biggest money launderers", directing his party leaders to engage in talks with other parties, excluding the three.

Imran announced that the PTI would challenge the election results.

"We will also approach the Supreme Court against the poll results," he added.

The former premier claimed to have gauged PTI's victory when PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif postponed his news conference, asserting that both Nawaz and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, had suffered defeats in the elections.

Addressing the question of the prime ministerial post, Imran clarified that no decision had been reached, and discussions would be undertaken.

PTI demands Imran's release

Meanwhile, the PTI also demanded that the public mandate must be respected as it was pre-requisite for survival and strength of the state and Imran should be released instantly as he was the only leader who could pull the country out of the prevailing quagmire of problems.

The PTI spokesperson made it clear that the elements, who were hell-bent on desecration and snatching the mandate of the people to impose the criminals, were enemies of the country because such attempts would further widen the fissure between the state and the people, which would further weaken the state.

He hinted that there was a possibility of talks with everyone to bring political and economic stability in the country provided the stolen mandate was returned to the real representatives and the rightful people of the country.

He stated that the people, especially the young generation, under the leadership of the PTI founding chairman, gave the PTI the right to represent them in an unequivocal manner, and ignoring it would be tantamount to enmity with the county.

He went on to say that the nation had given a clear and unwavering expression of Imran Khan's leadership with their power of votes and only he had the ability to bring Pakistan out of the current untold crises.

With additional reporting by Naeem Asghar.