Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The number game to become Leader of the House is giving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz a good run for the money, a private TV channel reported on Thursday.

The fate of Imran Khan and Shehbaz Sharif depends on the support (or lack of) given to them by independently elected members of the house or the smaller parties.

As far as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is concerned, it needs a simple majority of 172 members to get its chief Imran Khan elected as the next prime minister of Pakistan. But the number game suggests that there is many a slip between the cup and the lip for the party which has assumed itself to be the government-in-waiting.

PTI has won 115 seats in the National Assembly. It claims to have the support of eight independents. That rises the seat number to 123, at least on paper. Imran’s party is expected to get 27 and five reserved women and minority seats on its claimed 123 seats. With this addition, PTI’s seat share stands at 155.But as Imran has to withdraw four seats, Major Tahir Sadiq and Ghulam Sarwar Khan to leave one each, the tally shrinks to 149.

Sheikh Rasheed and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s support will boost the numbers to 154. Alliance with Balochistan Awami Party and Grand Democratic Alliance will take the party to 161 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s support of six general and women reserved seat will take the Imran-led alliance to 168 seats.

PTI has claimed that Balochistan National Party (Mengal), Tehreek-e-Insaniat and Jamhori Watan Party will put their weight behind it. Their votes will take the alliance to 173 seats, making Imran eligible to secure premiership. But it’s interesting to note that none of the above mentioned three parties have yet openly declared their support to the PTI.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which is leading the grand opposition alliance, is not virtually out of the contest.

The party with its 64 members along with 14 reserved women and two minority seats has eighty seats in hand. Pakistan People’s Party has secured 53 members with 43 general seats, nine women seats and one minority seat. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s 14 seats have taken the opposition alliance to 148 seats. A considerably formidable position against the PTI.

Published in Daily Times, August 3^rd 2018.