The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has announced fresh formation of its central working committee (CWC) and central executive committee (CEC) – the two top panels that have a final say in the party’s decision-making.
The initiative comes as part of Nawaz Sharif’s plans to maintain control of the party, according to political sources.
The former prime minister is also reaching out to members of the public in different parts of the country ahead of the general elections.
In line with his strategy to mobilise public support, he addressed a public gathering in Quetta over the weekend.
The 109-member CWC comprises PML-N office-bearers and members from Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces as well as Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Azad Jammu Kashmir, AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Party sources said that the CWC reconstitution was a symbolic but significant exercise since it contained top portfolios that were more or less similar to those in the previous CWC.
“It is meant to convey a message that Sharif is ‘calling the shots’ and that he is at the helm as far as the party’s affairs are concerned,” said a PML-N office-bearer who requested anonymity.
The CEC is already part of the CWC.
“By default, all members of the CWC are also members of the CEC,” the source said, adding that the CEC is made up of 29 office-bearers and 80 members.
PML-N chairman Zafarul Haq is the also chairman of both the CWC and the CEC, while party president Sharif is the president of both the committees.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Jhagra is the secretary general while Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal is his deputy.
Salahuddin Tirmizi and Qadir Baloch are assistant secretaries general.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is president of the party’s Punjab chapter and Ashfaq Sarwar the general secretary.
Senator Pervez Rashid is the party’s secretary finance and Mushahidullah Khan the secretary information.
Ameer Muqam is the president while Murtaza Abbasi is the general secretary of the party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri is the president and Naseebullah Bazai the general secretary of the party’s chapter in the province.
Sarfraz Jatoi is the president and Shah Muhammad the general secretary of the Sindh chapter.
AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider is the president the party’s AJK chapter and Ghulam Qadir the general secretary.
Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman is the only member in the CWC from the region in his capacity as president of the party’s regional chapter.
There is no general secretary for the Gilgit Baltistan CWC.
The Islamabad chapter also has no general secretary and Tariq Fazal is its president.
Among others, members of the CWC and the CEC include Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq.




Related Story