Sharif to discuss government formation with party leaders

Nawaz Sharif, who is likely to become the prime minister as his party has emerged a big winner in Pakistan elections, Sunday called a meeting of his party leaders in which government formation is expected to be discussed, a media report said.

Nawaz Sharif, who heads Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, called a meeting of the party leaders in Raiwind as unofficial results predicted a majority for his party. Raiwind is a town in the Punjab province.

Elections to the National Assembly and four provincial assemblies were held in Pakistan Saturday.

The daily Dawn reported that the meeting is expected to discuss questions pertaining to government formation and the possibility of striking alliances with other political parties.

On Saturday, the Sharif brothers -- Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif -- claimed victory in the general elections.

Nawaz Sharif has been prime minister twice - in 1990 and 1997. But both of his governments were dismissed dismissed, once by then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan and then in 1999 in a military coup by former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.