The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, emerging as the single largest party in the Punjab Assembly after it secured 102 seats out of 292, has started working towards drumming up support of independents to establish its government in the province.
Party sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday that out of 39 independents, elected as Punjab Assembly members after unofficial results surfaced, many of them have contacted the party leadership to say they back the induction of the party-led government in the province.
The party will also discuss the formation of its government in Punjab in the party's central working committee and parliamentary party meetings being held in Islamabad on Thursday.
That there is a possibility that the name of party's candidate for the chief minister's post will also be finalised in these meetings. There are 297 general seats in the Punjab Assembly and the elections were held on 292 seats on February 18.
The Election Commission delayed elections against five Provincial Assembly seats - PP-70, Faisalabad, PP-90 Gujranwala, PP-141, PP-154 Lahore and PP-171, Nankana Sahib - because of the deaths of candidates in these constituencies.
Party chief Nawaz Sharif talking to reporters at his Model Town home on Wednesday also indicated that independent assembly members would also support his party for induction of its government.
The sources said the independents, succeeded from PP-40 Khushab (Karam Elahi Badial), Abndul Hafeez Khan from PP-43 Mianwali and Mohammad Masood Lali from PP-80, had contacted the leadership. The sources claimed that consultations were under way between Pakistan People's Party and the PML-N on issues concerning the formation of governments at Federal and Punjab levels.
For instance, the PML-N wanted the restoration of judges and linked its support with the acceptance of this demand, while PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had remained busy talking to democratic forces on the same issue, said the sources.
On Wednesday, Asif Zardari talked to All Pakistan Democratic Movement (APDM) leaders Imran Khan and Mahmood Khan Achakzai on phone about the post-election situation. Both had asked Asif Zardari to take immediate steps on that case, including that of former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.