Shehbaz Sharif, put forth by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) with backing from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is on the verge of being chosen as Pakistan's incoming Prime Minister on the upcoming Sunday.
Omar Ayub Khan has been designated as the Prime Ministerial nominee for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The National Assembly Secretariat unveiled the election timetable on Thursday to elect the country's leader, a process commencing 18 days after the Electoral Commission declares the February 8 election outcomes.
None of the political factions succeeded in securing the requisite 133 seats out of the 265 contested seats in the 266-member National Assembly necessary to establish a governing administration.
Independent candidates, predominantly supported by Khan's PTI, clinched 93 seats, while the PML-N of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif garnered 75 seats. The PPP, helmed by former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, attained the third position with 54 seats, whereas the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) secured 17 seats.
In a post-electoral collaboration, the PML-N and PPP opted to forge an alliance to establish the government, thereby disrupting the prospects of Imran Khan's party.
Should he secure the position, Shehbaz Sharif will serve as Prime Minister of Pakistan for the second time. Previously, he assumed office when Imran Khan's administration was ousted in April 2022, holding the position of prime minister for 16 months until August 2023 when fresh elections were announced.
As per the power-sharing agreement, 68-year-old Asif Ali Zardari of the PPP is slated to be the coalition's nominee for the presidency - a role he previously occupied from 2008 to 2013.
The aspiring Prime Ministerial candidates are required to submit their nomination papers by Saturday, 2 pm, with the scrutiny of the documents set to be finalized on the same day.
