Pakistan political crisis | Latest round of talks between PML-N, PPP on coalition government formulation inconclusive

The latest round of talks between the top leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has ended inconclusively after both sides failed to reach a consensus on a power-sharing formula to form a coalition government in Pakistan following a fractured verdict in the election.

The latest round of talks between the top leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has ended inconclusively after both sides failed to reach a consensus on a power-sharing formula to form a coalition government in Pakistan following a fractured verdict in the election.

The meeting, held at the residence of PML-N senior leader Senator Ishaq Dar in Parliament lodges, in Islamabad, on February 20, saw the participation of prominent figures from both parties. The PPP delegation comprised Murad Ali Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nadeem Afzal Chan, and others, the Express Tribune newspaper reported on February 20.

This was the fifth round of discussions between the PML-N and the PPP coordination committees to end the political stalemate after the February 8 elections resulted in a hung Parliament.

After a three-hour deliberation on Monday, the negotiation hit a snag prompting a temporary halt, with both the PML-N and the PPP agreeing to reconvene at 10 p.m. on Monday. However, the meeting did not take place.

Eventually, at 11 p.m., the PML-N concluded their meeting, announcing that discussions with PPP would resume on Wednesday. In an informal conversation with reporters after the first round of the meeting, PML-N leader Azam Nazir Tarar conveyed a positive trajectory in the ongoing discussions. “Some things have already been decided on the matter of PPP's inclusion in the Cabinet,” Mr. Tarar was quoted as saying by Geo News.

The general elections have been controversial with several serious allegations of widespread rigging to alter the results. More than 11 days after the voting, there is still no clarity on which party would form the government at the Centre.