Pakistan: PPP-PML(N) reach deal

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and PML (N) will share positions in the new cabinet and parliamentary committees according to the proportion of their seats in the newly-elected national assembly, which has been summoned on March 17.

PML (N) leader Javed Hashmi said the formula for distributing ministries between the two parties at the centre and in Punjab province had been finalised.

According to the formula, PPP will have 54% berths in the federal cabinet, PML (N) 40% and the Awami National Party 6%.

The ministries will be allocated after negotiations between PPP and PML (N). The heads of parliamentary committees will be nominated through "mutual understanding" under the same formula, he said.

Opposition members will be asked to head some parliamentary committees, Hashmi said.

The formation of the coalition government was discussed at a meeting of top leaders of PML (N) chaired by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday.

(Reporting by Rezaul H Laskar)