The government led by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is willing to accommodate any opposition candidate as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), even if he or she belongs to Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), except for its chief Shehbaz Sharif and his close aides.
This transpired during recent talks between the government and opposition.
Those who are considered close associates of either former prime minister Nawaz Sharif or Shehbaz include Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Asif, and Ahsan Iqbal.
PML-N sources said that Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser conveyed to the party leaders that Prime Minister Khan is willing to accept even a PML-N lawmaker on the post, other than Shehbaz and a handful of other “hawkish” leaders.
The appointment of the PAC chief is likely to be finalised after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi returns to the country after the conclusion of his official visit to the United States.
Senior PML-N leader Sanaullah said that the PML-N would not accept anyone else other than Shehbaz as the PAC chief.
“Over the years, this has become a tradition: the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly holds the portfolio of the PAC chairman. The PTI is shying away from this because it fears strict accountability by a credible personality such as Shehbaz Sharif.”
Sanaullah insisted that if Shehbaz is not appointed the PAC chief, the PML-N would not accept the leadership position of any standing committee, or even quitting all parliamentary committees.
“Yes, we can go to the extent of withdrawing from all the committees and this is being discussed within the party,” said a senior party member.
However, a well-placed PML-N source dismissed this possibility, saying that it is just a negotiating tactic.
The source said that despite repeated demands by opposition parties for appointing the PAC chief from among opposition members, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s opposition to Shehbaz Sharif as the PAC chief is indicative of the government’s plans.
The source cited several statements by the information minister in this regard.
The government, he said, is also likely to accept someone from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) as the PAC chief, other than “Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari”.
Talks with PML-N leaders indicates the PPP is also eyeing the post of PAC chairman.
It is learnt that PPP supremo Zardari wants his son Bilawal to be appointed PAC chief.
However, some PML-N leaders close to Shehbaz maintain that the PPP and other smaller opposition groups, such as the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and the Awami National Party (ANP), are willing to support Shehbaz’s candidacy.
They are said to have started lobbying in this regard, reaching out to certain “favourable” government figures to win them over for Shehbaz’s candidacy.
However, other key PML-N leaders believe otherwise.
“The PPP supports the demand that the PAC chairman must be from the opposition, but for its own sake. Bilawal is the PPP’s candidate for the post,” said a former federal minister, requesting anonymity.
A PTI senator said Khan would not “risk” appointing Shehbaz or Bilawal as the PAC chief.
“Not only the Sharif family, but Zardari too are in deep trouble. They are facing cases of corruption and money-laundering. Bilawal’s elevation as the PAC chief would be a huge relief for Zardari. The PM would never want this to happen,” the lawmaker maintained