- Party leaders agree that Nawaz should lead the PML-N: Sanaullah.
- The PML-N central council meeting will be held at 4 pm.
- Sanaullah says each party has its own electoral procedures.
LAHORE: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will become president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the party that bears his name, once again after more than six years on Tuesday (today).
According News, party sources said Nawaz would be elected through a party president election that has been rescheduled from the second week of May to May 28, a day celebrated as Youm-e-Takbir. On this day in 1998, Pakistan had responded to India's nuclear tests while Nawaz was prime minister.
Through a notification on Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared May 28, 2024 as a public holiday.
On July 28, 2017, Nawaz lost both the prime ministership and the presidency of his party as a result of the Panama Papers ruling. Since then, the PML-N has built a narrative centered on the slogan “Mujhy Kyun Nikala(Why did they remove me?).
In a press conference on Monday, PML-N chief election commissioner Rana Sanaullah said there was a consensus among party leaders that Nawaz should lead the party. He said Shehbaz had resigned from his post as party president but the Central Working Committee still allowed him to carry out his responsibilities until the election of a new leader.
According to the party's statutes, the electoral commission was appointed by the Central Working Committee and the commission published the electoral calendar, Sanaullah said.
Today's hours for accepting nomination papers are 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; They will be examined at 1:00 p.m. and the final list will be ready at 3:00 p.m. Any member of the party can submit nomination papers. Then, the PML-N central council meeting will be held at 4 pm.
Sanaullah said each party had its own electoral procedures, and nomination papers were not filed in Jamaat-e-Islami, where the Shura elected the ameer. He stressed that he was not against Jamaat-e-Islami's approach.
He highlighted Pakistan's success in becoming a nuclear power under Nawaz's leadership as well as its role in making the PML-N a party for the average man. Nawaz has always been involved in the party's important decisions and will continue to be, he stressed.
He said other party positions should be filled by different members and that Shehbaz remained an important leader, especially known for his efforts to restore the economy. He mentioned that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi could also submit his candidacy papers, which would be examined to determine his eligibility.
Sanaullah stated that the PML-N was a party of dialogue and emphasized the importance of cooperation between the government and the opposition. He also expressed hope that the PTI founder would avoid a similar fate to Mujeebur Rahman and stressed the need for dialogue.
He assured that Nawaz Sharif was not angry with anyone and remained fully active. Key decisions in the federal and Punjab governments involved Nawaz's consultation and approval. Nawaz's statements were expected to become more frequent over time.
If no other candidate files nomination papers, Nawaz will be elected unopposed; Otherwise, the election will be decided by show of hands. Party sources mentioned that apart from the election of the party president, the PML-N meeting will also discuss various resolutions that will be presented to the general council.
