PPP to Remain Key Ally of PML-N: Ishaq Dar

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar affirmed on Saturday that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will continue to be a crucial ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). This declaration comes even after the PML-N secured a simple majority in the National Assembly following a ruling regarding reserved seats.

“The PPP is and will remain our coalition partner,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated, emphasizing that forming a government after the 2024 general elections would have been impossible without the PPP’s backing.

Speaking with reporters at the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore, Dar noted that the PPP, led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has supported the government through challenging periods, and the PML-N, under Nawaz Sharif, will not abandon them during times of stability.

Answering a question, he clarified that the PPP has not requested any ministerial positions from the PML-N.

Dar’s statement follows the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) notification concerning reserved seats, which has boosted the ruling alliance’s strength in the lower house from 218 to 235 members, granting them a two-thirds majority.

The ECP’s notification aligned with the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench ruling that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was ineligible for seats reserved for women and minorities in the national and provincial assemblies. This decision allocated a significant portion of reserved seats to the ruling coalition.

Earlier in the week, Khawaja Asif, a senior PML-N leader and Defence Minister, mentioned that the decision to join the current government rests entirely with the PPP.

During his appearance on the program “Capital Talk,” he described the previous PDM government’s working relationship with the PPP as “a positive experience.”

In a separate statement, Asif told that collaboration between the two major political entities could be beneficial for advancing the country’s national objectives.

“Having been involved in politics for quite some time, I believe there’s a greater likelihood that an arrangement between both parties could facilitate our work towards the national agenda. This would be a welcome development,” he added.

While acknowledging his inability to provide specifics or confirm ongoing negotiations, the senior PML-N figure stated that his remarks were based on political insight rather than specific knowledge.