ISLAMABAD: PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that his party is in a comfortable position to form governments in Islamabad and Punjab.
“We have over 180 seats in the Punjab assembly,” he said. “PML-Q is our ally in both federal and Punjab governments but the provincial chief minister would be from the PTI.”
He said that PTI chairman Imran Khan would select the candidate for the slot Punjab CM.
The PTI leader said 14 independent MPAs have so far joined the PTI and the others will join the party tonight.
Chaudhry said that the PTI has secured the support of 6 MQM-P and 7 independent candidates in the national assembly. “The GDA and BAP have also assured their support for the PTI.”
He added that the PTI would form its government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would join the coalition in Balochistan. “Our allies would be given representation in the federal cabinet.”
Chaudhry said that Jahangir Khan Tareen is leaving for Karachi tonight and would hold talks with the MQM-P leaders over a possible alliance between the two parties.
Meanwhile, three major political parties including PML-N and PPP on Monday announced they would form a grand opposition in parliament.
Talking to journalists after a meeting, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the parties had agreed in principle to form a strong opposition both inside and outside the parliament.
Representatives of the three parties said they will issue a white paper about alleged election rigging.
After these developments, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that it has the support of a sufficient number of lawmakers to form governments in both the Centre and Punjab.
Party spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry, while addressing the media on Monday evening, claimed that the party had secured the backing of 168 out of the nearly 328-330 lawmakers returned to the National Assembly in the July 25 election (after counting the allocation of reserved seats).
Fawad Chaudhry claims PTI has the numbers to form federal, Punjab governments.
Out of the house of 342, Chaudhry noted that around 10 seats would be vacated by candidates successful from more than one constituency, and that the remaining two seats had had their elections postponed.
The numbers are to be secured with the help of independents (seven seats), MQM-Pakistan (six seats), PML-Q (four seats), the Balochistan Awami Party (two seats) and the Grand Democratic Alliance (two seats).
The PML-Q has declared its support after settling on a “formula” with PTI, under which it will be given ministries in the centre and Punjab. Talks with MQM-Pakistan are still ongoing, Chaudhry said. Jahangir Tareen is headed to Karachi to negotiate terms.
Earlier, in a meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan, MPAs-elect Saeed Akbar Niwani from PP-90 Bhakkar, Ameer Muhammad Khan from PP-89 Bhakkar and Fida Wattoo from Bahawalnagar had announced they would lend their support for the PTI, a press release by the party’s Central Media Department said. Abdul Hai Dasti from PP-270 Muzaffargarh, who had announced his support for PTI on Sunday also met Khan.