Islamabad, Feb. 13 -- Pakistan's political stalemate after inconclusive elections last week showed no signs of ending on Tuesday with the largest groups still unable to agree on forming a coalition government to run the crisis-hit country.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the largest party after the Feb 8 vote, said it continues to negotiate with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the second largest, to clinch a partnership.

PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif challenged independent members backed by jailed former premier Imran Khan, who account for the highest number of seats, to form a government and prove their majority. He said if they cannot do so, other parties would.

Khan's media team said K...