Anti-PTI alliance to field PML-N candidate for PM

ISLAMABAD: An alliance of like-minded parties—including the PML-N, PPP, MMA, and ANP—have decided to put up a fight against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in a bid to form the federal government and field their own consensus candidates for the prime minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker slots in the National Assembly.

The decision was announced by Pakistan People's Party leader Sherry Rehman, who addressed reporters here on Thursday following an all parties conference (APC) also attended by leaders from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), and the Awami National Party (ANP).

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) secured 115 seats in the July 25 general election and claims it has the required numbers to elect the prime minister.

However, the anti-PTI alliance, which secured a combined 120 National Assembly seats, now says it would also go to the National Assembly session in "not a defensive but an offensive mode" to elect its own candidates.

Rehman said the parties have decided to bring a candidate for prime minister from the PML-N.

"The National Assembly speaker candidate will be from the PPP and the deputy speaker candidate from MMA,” Rehman said, adding that the names would be announced later.

She further said that the like-minded parties would sit in the Parliament "to counter the puppet government".

Sherry Rehman further said that Terms of Reference will be constituted and further political discourse will be done on the basis of it.

She said that today was the third day of meetings of the democratic parties in which several points have been agreed upon.

ANP leader Mian Iftikhar said that their policy is aggressive not defensive, adding that "the like-minded parties would form the government and not the opposition".

PTI welcomed opposition parties' decision to join the parliament. The party will review the objections raised by the opposition in regards to the election process.  

Sources have informed Geo News that the alliance is considering PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif as the candidate for prime minister and PPP's Khursheed Shah for National Assembly Speaker.

Sources said that a session of the Joint Action Committee would be held tonight and Terms Of Refernce (TORs) will be formulated within three days.

The JAC will announce the TORs and decisions taken during the committee session.

Sources further said that at the day of prime minister's oath-taking, the opposition parties will hold a rally in the capital near Red Zone.