It is anticipated that Asif Ali Zardari would lead Pakistan as president after the coalition between the PPP and PML-N: Media

Asif Ali Zardari, the head of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), is expected to be elected to a second term as president of Pakistan after his party decided to join forces with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to establish a government at the center, according to media sources here.

The News International said on Wednesday, citing sources, that “the country will see the PML-N’s prime minister and the PPP’s president if the situation remains unchanged.” The revelation came amid discussions over a potential deal between the PML-N and PPP.

Since the elections on February 8 yielded a divided mandate, the nation has been without a functioning government for over a week. Pakistan now faces a coalition government as none of the main parties was able to secure a clear majority.

Shehbaz Sharif, the younger brother of previous prime minister Nawaz Sharif, is anticipated to take over as prime minister of Pakistan as part of the PML-N and PPP coalition.

By uniting these two parties, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), the incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan’s party, was prevented from taking over even though the independent candidates it supported were able to secure the most seats in the National Assembly.

Pakistan was presided over by PPP president Zardari, 68, from 2008 to 2013.

Later this month, Arif Alvi, the president of Pakistan at the moment, is expected to step down.