Shahbaz Sharif

Internews/Lahore

 

 

As various leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from smaller provinces are hopeful of getting party nomination for the presidential election due on Aug 6, some inner circles of the party are convincing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not to let the coveted office go out of his family.

A central leader and a member of the federal cabinet reportedly asked the prime minister during a consultative meeting on selection of PML-N candidate for the presidency that the office should be kept within the family by fielding Shahbaz Sharif in the presidential polls, a participant of the meeting said.

He said the minister argued that the party needed a stronger and most reliable person for the office to better face any eventuality like it had to in 1999.

He also hinted at the effective use of the position by outgoing President Asif Ali Zardari for advancing his political and ?otherwise? agendas.

A PML-N official said he could not say whether Shahbaz, presently Punjab chief minister, could be finalised for the post but recalled that President Zardari too had announced his candidacy for the office in an indirect way back in 2008 in a meeting with then UN ambassador Anne W.

The official said after Shahbaz, former Sindh governor Mamnoon Husain stood chance of becoming the PML-N nominee for his steadfastness and loyalty with the Sharifs during Musharraf regime.

He said since introduction of parliamentary system in 1971, no Urdu-speaking democratic person had been elected to the office.

Meanwhile, the PML-N leadership has banned tours abroad of its parliamentarians in the wake of presidential election.

The party leadership has asked all its MNAs, senators and MPAs presently abroad to immediately return home and keep the party informed about their movement.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader from Okara Rana Ikram Rabbani has sought the support of the party for the presidential election.

Rabbani has collected nomination papers from the Election Commission.

He says he will submit his candidature only after approval by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif.

Under the election schedule issued by the ECP, nomination papers can be submitted by July 24.

PPP founding member Rabbani quitted his party first in 2002 and joined the PML-Q for being ignored by party chairperson Benazir Bhutto for the slot of PPP Punjab president.

He rejoined the party in October 2012 for a brief time. He left the party again when Manzoor Wattoo was made PPP Punjab president.

 

Another member of Sharif family may join cabinet

Another member of the ruling Sharif family is likely to join the federal cabinet.

Abid Sher Ali, the young nephew of the Sharif brothers, nowadays is seen in almost every meeting of the water and power ministry.

Yesterday, he was present at the press conference addressed by federal Power Minister Khawaja Asif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

Although Sher Ali is yet to be sworn in as a state minister for power, he has been given the office within the premises of the ministry and fully takes part in its official business.

When asked, federal government spokesman and Information Minister Senator Pervez Rashid said he was unaware of the development.

“Until he is formally inducted into the cabinet, I can’t comment on his status,” said Rashid.

A senior PML-N leader confirmed the decision about Sher Ali’s induction into the federal cabinet. Privately, Sher Ali over the last week or so has been telling his friends of his new assignment.

His main area of responsibility, according to the party leader, would be exclusively restricted to recovery department of the ministry.