After win, PTI discusses govt formation

Islamabad, July 18

Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Monday discussed the possibility of forming its government in Punjab province of Pakistan after its thumping victory in the byelections.

PTI won 15 out of 20 provincial Assembly seats in Sunday’s byelections, while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got just four seats. One seat was grabbed by an Independent candidate.

These seats fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan de-seated 25 lawmakers of PTI after they defected to vote against the party candidate in the election for the Chief Minister.

Elections were held on just 20 seats as five candidates were indirectly elected on the reserved seats.

The results have changed the number game in the provincial Assembly where PTI and its main ally, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), have a total 188 members and the PML-N and its allies have 179 lawmakers. The candidate for Chief Minister needs 186 Assembly members’ support to be elected.

The PTI core committee meeting held on Monday, chaired by ousted prime minister Khan and attended by the senior leadership of the party, had a detailed consultation on the matters of formation of the government in Punjab.