‘Form Govt If You’ve Majority, Will Sit in Opposition’: Ex-Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif Challenges Imran Khan’s PTI

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said his party will sit in opposition benches if Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed independent candidates can show majority in the Pakistan national assembly. “If PTI-sponsored candidates can show majority [in the National Assembly] then they should form a government,” Shehbaz Sharif said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, challenging PTI-backed candidates to establish their majority in the house.

“I would state this categorically that the PTI pushed the country to the brink of default and we saved the country,” Shehbaz Sharif said, referring to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition which ousted Imran Khan in a no-confidence vote in 2022.

Shehbaz Sharif claimed again that PML-N has a majority in centre as well as Punjab province. “We now have 80 members after independents joined our party,” Sharif said, claiming that more independents will join his party.

“We will accept them happily (but) if they fail to do (so), then we will use our constitutional and legal right,” he further added.

Meanwhile, PTI said it has decided to run for the offices of speaker, prime minister and other positions.

It also ruled out forming an alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan who remains jailed in Adiala Jail in a number of cases said these two parties consist of money launderers. “Those who have been brought to rule are the biggest money launderers,” Imran Khan said. He further lashed out at PML-N for lying about their victory.

“Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz have lost both elections. We will also approach the Supreme Court against the poll results,” Khan said.

He also announced while speaking to reporters that Ali Amin Gandapur will be his party’s candidate for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s chief minister. “KP’s chief minister will be Ali Amin Gandapur,” he said.

(with inputs from the Dawn, GeoNews and the News International)