Editor's Pick | Three key Pakistan parties step up efforts to form coalition government

Pakistan’s three main political parties on Sunday intensified efforts to form a coalition government after the February 8 election resulted in a hung Parliament. The elections have also been marred by rigging allegations, mainly due to the unusual delay in announcing results. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the results of 264 out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly on Sunday. The result of one constituency was withheld by the ECP due to complaints of fraud. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. A party is required to win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the National Assembly to form the government. Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats. This includes the reserved slots for women and minorities which will be decided later based on proportional representation. Independent candidates won 101 seats in the National Assembly. Most of these were backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The party’s candidates contested as independents after the Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan ruled they could not use the party symbol, a cricket bat. Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is believed to have the backing of powerful Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir for his call for a unity government to pull Pakistan out of its current difficulties. PML-N won 75 seats, which technically is the single largest party in Parliament. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Zardari Bhutto got 54 seats, and the Karachi-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) of Urdu-speaking people who migrated from India during the Partition, got 17 seats. Other smaller parties won the rest of the 12 seats. According to a statement from PML-N, the party reached a “principle agreement” with MQM-P to work together in the upcoming government. PML-N President Shehbaz has also met senior PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal and discussed the future coalition. The Hindu’s Editorials Parliamentary affairs: On the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha Conjuring a catharsis: On the government’s White Paper on the economy The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Bada Imambara, constructed in the late 18th century is a protected monument. It is in which State/UT? New Delhi Bihar Uttar Pradesh Gujarat To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 12 February 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]Open in browser [Mail icon]More newsletters Three key Pakistan parties step up efforts to form coalition government Pakistan’s three main political parties on Sunday intensified efforts to [form a coalition government]( after the February 8 election resulted in a hung Parliament. The elections have also been marred by rigging allegations, mainly due to the unusual delay in announcing results. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced the results of 264 out of 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly on Sunday. The result of one constituency was withheld by the ECP due to complaints of fraud. Election to one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate. A party is required to win 133 seats out of 265 contested seats in the National Assembly to form the government. Overall, 169 seats are needed to secure a simple majority out of its total 336 seats. This includes the reserved slots for women and minorities which will be decided later based on proportional representation. Independent candidates won 101 seats in the National Assembly. Most of these were backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The party’s candidates contested as independents after the Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan ruled they could not use the party symbol, a cricket bat. Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif is believed to have the backing of powerful Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir for his call for a unity government to pull Pakistan out of its current difficulties. PML-N won 75 seats, which technically is the single largest party in Parliament. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Zardari Bhutto got 54 seats, and the Karachi-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) of Urdu-speaking people who migrated from India during the Partition, got 17 seats. Other smaller parties won the rest of the 12 seats. According to a statement from PML-N, the party reached a “principle agreement” with MQM-P to work together in the upcoming government. PML-N President Shehbaz has also met senior PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal and discussed the future coalition. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Parliamentary affairs: On the last session of the 17th Lok SabhaÂ]( [Arrow][Conjuring a catharsis: On the government’s White Paper on the economyÂ]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Bada Imambara, constructed in the late 18th century is a protected monument. It is in which State/UT? - New Delhi - Bihar - Uttar Pradesh - Gujarat To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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