LAHORE: Announcing the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) intra-party elections, PrimeMinister’s Adviser on Public and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will be seen proactively "playing his role in national politics soon".
Sanaullah, addressing a press conference in Lahore on Monday, announced that the ruling party commenced the process of the intra-party elections by thePML-N’s constitutionand an election commissionwas also established by a central working committee.
The former federal minister said that nomination papers were issued from9am to5pm todaywhich would alsobe continued before12pm by tomorrow (Tuesday). "Scrutiny of the nomination papers will be performed at1pm,whereas, candidates could withdraw their nominations by2:30pm, tomorrow."
He added: “Overall, 11 nominations have been issued so far. At3pm tomorrow, final lists of the candidates willbe issuedand a generalcouncil’s session willbe held afterwards.”
He added that the party would organise the polls for electing its president at 4pm tomorrow.
Sanaullah went on to say that Bashir Memon, Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui, Ishaq Dar, Raja Muhammad Farooq, Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman and Shah Ghulam Qadir have received their nomination papers today.
He said that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi — a disgruntled PML-N leader who had applied to register a new political party last month — could also submit his nominations, however, the scrutiny committee will decide on his “eligibility”to contest theparty’s intra-party polls.
Regarding Nawaz, the PML-N senior leader said that the entire party agreed on the formerpremier’s name for theparty’s presidency. "However, the party would welcome if someone else wants to submit nominations for taking part in the upcoming polls."
Sanaullah further said that Nawaz transformed the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz into a popular public party after Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnahthat ruled the country four times.
“In case no candidates,theparty’s president would be elected unopposed, otherwise, polling will be held via a show of hands,”he added.
The politico said that Nawaz was not angry with someone and was fully active in national politics. He added that all decisions of the federal and the Punjab governments would be taken afterNawaz's approval.
He further said that lesser statements from the PML-N supremo would be ended, soon.
Thepremier’s aide added that the ruling PML-N was considering recommendations to reshuffle the party positions.
He said that Shehbaz Sharif would be the next leader after Nawaz on which the entire party was agreed upon for the presidency. He praised Shehbaz, the incumbent prime minister, for making maximum efforts to pull the country out of the economic crisis.
To a question regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Sanaullah replied that he would continue to warn the nation against the former rulingparty’s founderImran Khan.
He added that hewas continuously warning the nation that the ousted premier would push the country intoa big turmoil. The former security czar said that he was unaware of sources pushing the incarcerated PTI founder for making political blunders, however, “stupidity”could be committed by any individual.
“I would pray for the PTI founder not to face the same consequences as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,”he added.