The move to reappoint Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister is a likely blow to millions of Pakistanis who voted in last week's elections for independents backed by the country's popular leader Imran Khan.

The announcement of plans for a coalition government ends the uncertainty since last week when no party won a simple majority in parliamentary elections.

The party of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, used artificial intelligence to post an online post-election speech by Khan.