Ex-Pak PM Nawaz Sharif's PML-N floats idea of 'participatory coalition government': Report
Islamabad (PTI): The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) led by former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif has pitched the idea of a "participatory coalition government" to rival parties to end the logjam following the split verdict in the February 8 election, according to media reports on Monday.
PML-N has 75 seats in the 266-member National Assembly, the single largest party. Independent members, mostly backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, have secured 101 seats.
Former law minister Azam Nazeer Tarar termed this scenario Hobson's choice' and said not a single political party had secured a majority in the National Assembly, insisting that elections were "fair".
The senior PML-N leader was talking to the media after a meeting of the party's top brass at Jati Umra in Lahore during which consultations were held regarding the future course of action. The ex-minister said the PML-N had started consultations with its former allies to form a unity government in the Centre.
"There's only the possibility of forming the (federal) government with the backing of the PML-N. It will be a participatory coalition government," he said, adding that it was in "the largest interest of the country that all should join hands" to form the federal government, the Dawn newspaper reported.
According to PML-N sources, the initial formula stipulates that if the coalition parties agree to give the post of prime minister to the PML-N, then the post of president and speaker will be given to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
Similarly, the post of deputy speaker can be given to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) or any of the independent members joining the coalition. Besides, the PML-N may keep the finance ministry, and other ministries will be distributed among allies with mutual consultation.
Going by their numerical strength, both the PML-N and the PPP are in a position to form a coalition government in the Centre. However, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif announced that all parties except PTI should join hands in the upcoming set-up.
According to the results announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) till Sunday, of the total 265 National Assembly seats, PTI-backed Independents bagged 101 seats, followed by PML-N at 75, PPP at 54, MQM at 17 and other smaller parties won 17 seats.
According to the formula, the sources said the decision regarding the nomination for the positions of Senate chairman and deputy chairman will be decided in consultation with the allies after the Senate elections.
"The PML-N has held a consultation for a long time on this initial formula," a source said.
"It will be finalised in the meetings with the potential coalition partners. Changes can be made following the evolving political situation," the source added.
The consultation on the formation of the coalition government is expected between Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and others.
According to the sources, since the PPP has already nominated its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as its candidate for premiership, it may not withdraw from its stance. However, they added that the PML-N can support Bilawal for the post of prime minister after consultation.
The sources said that if the PML-N gets the post of prime minister, then the distribution of other important positions, such as the posts of president, speaker, deputy speaker of the National Assembly as well as the coveted ministries, will be done through consultation.
The PML-N source said that the party was trying to establish a joint committee of all parties regarding the formation of a coalition government. The committee will hold the final consultation and recommend its suggestions for the government formation.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
