Opposition PTI says will cooperate with Pakistan government but continue protests against ‘rigging’

Omar Ayub Khan (3R), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party's nominee for prime minister and Gohar Ali Khan (3L), PTI's chairman and barrister arrive before the start of the inaugural session of the National Assembly, at the parliament house building in Islamabad on February 29, 2024. (AFP)

• Coalition partner PPP says supporting government for sake of democracy and but will hold it to account
• PM Sharif’s PML-N says he will prioritize fixing the economy, creating jobs for young unemployed Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the country’s main opposition party, said on Sunday it would cooperate where ‘required’ with the new government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif but would continue protests against what it says was the rigging of last month’s elections and manipulation of vote counts.
Sharif beat Omar Ayub Khan, the candidate backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s PTI, who secured 92 votes. The PTI and a spattering of others parties have rejected the result of the Feb. 8 elections, alleging widespread rigging and carrying out nationwide protests since. The election commission denies the vote was manipulated in the run up to polls or during the counting process. 
“We would be putting the government to account for its deeds and we will cooperate with the government where it is so required,” PTI chairman Gohar Khan, who is also Imran Khan’s lawyer, told Arab News, saying his party would participate in all assembly sessions and “actively” play the role of the opposition. 
He said the PTI would not obstruct the functioning of parliament.
“We say we will definitely participate in the process and would actually like the government to move forward and we would like to actually participate in the legislation,” Gohar said. “But what we say is, until and unless our mandate is restored, we will continue our protests.”
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), a coalition partner of Sharif’s government, stressed the need for the new government to hold a dialogue with “all of Pakistan.”
“I ask the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of ex-PM Khan] to fight for their rights legally and not to fight democracy,” the MQM’s Aminul Haque said, saying the country needed political stability for economic stability.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a coalition partner of the government which has so far refused to take any cabinet positions, said it was supporting the government for the sake of democracy and rule of law but would hold it to account where needed.
“We know that we are facing many challenges in the country like internal and external law and order issues. We have a big issue of inflation and millions of people are suffering below the poverty line,” Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, a member of the PPP Central Executive Committee, said. 
“We are supporting the PML-N right now but we will raise all these issues of the people of Pakistan in parliament with confidence and we will try to convince the government to take measures that are necessary to address all these relevant issues.”
Sharif is set to take oath on Monday. This will be his second term as PM, with the first one running from April 2022 to August last year.
The new PM’s PML-N party said Sharif had helped save the country from sovereign default in June last year by negotiating an IMF deal and would work again to improve the economy. 
“This is good news for all Pakistanis and for Pakistan,” Marriyum Aurangzeb, the party’s information secretary, told Arab News. “The youth who were unemployed will get employment again as the journey of progress will begin, the economy will prosper.”