Re: Results and their consequences
PPP and PML make very strange bed-fellows. If NS cares for the long term interest of PML and to safeguard its ideology, and differentiate itself from PPP, he will politely refuse, and ask PPP that being the largest party in the new National Assembly, PPP should cobble together a coalition of like minded parties. These being, ANP, independents, MQM (PPP will likely get MQM as coalition partners in Sindh, anyway) and other assorted groups.
PML-N and PML-Q should sit in the opposition and, most likely, later will just merge together.
The problem is that our politicians generally have very small-term tunnel visions, and if NS' whole strategy is just to lose Mushy, than NS will not hesitate to deal with anyone for that, even PPP. If PML and PPP make a coalition government, then how will PPP and PML fight the next election against each other anyway? PML-Q will go away next time around. People of Pakistan deserve to have 2 or 3 good alternatives in national politics. PPP, PML and religious parties generally tend to fill in the required stereotypes election after election.
I think the numbers game support Mushy. While obviously he would have loved for Q league to get more seats, but this is a classic hung parliament with no party getting a simple majority. There is no way, anyone can force Mushy out in this scenario. Forget about CJ being reinstated or anything like that. PPP will be lucky to make even a token strong government. Too many disjointed interests will need to be gathered here.