Newly-elected Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi could be the new Leader of the Opposition in case Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) chief Shehbaz Sharif is convicted in a mega-corruption scam.
Shehbaz Sharif was remanded into National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB’s) custody for 10 days by an accountability court on October 6.
While the PML-N has widely dismissed his involvement in any kind of foul play in the Ashiana Housing Scheme, the party leadership is said to be weighing options in case Sharif is convicted.
Sharif is accused of irregularities in an award of contract in the housing scheme which allegedly caused a loss of Rs193mn to national exchequer.
Former premier Abbasi is regarded as a trusted aide of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and was reportedly granted a party ticket for NA-124, Lahore in recently-concluded by-elections on Sharif’s intervention.
The said seat was won by Hamza Shehbaz, the PML-N chief’s son, in the July 25 general elections, who vacated it and opted for his Punjab Assembly seat, where he became Leader of the Opposition.
With Khawaja Saad Rafique also having won by-elections from NA-131 Lahore, the PML-N has a number of leaders who are regarded as heavyweights to take up Shehbaz Sharif’s position in the National Assembly, if he is convicted, including Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq, and Rana Sanaullah.
However, given that Abbasi became prime minister after Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification in the Panamagate case last year, he is said to be an obvious choice.
PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq has denied any such development when approached for comment.
“This is a far-flung and hypothetical assessment, to presume that he (Shehbaz Sharif) would face conviction. The party would review options should such a time arises. As of now, no such move is under consideration,” he said.
PML-N MNA Rana Sanaullah said that the charges against Shehbaz Sharif are “frivolous” and that he could not be convicted on the basis of these charges by the accountability court.
“There is hardly any chance that he (Shehbaz) would be convicted on the basis of baseless charges.
“First, they accused him of corruption in Saaf Paani case but arrested him in another case.
“They are looking for solid excuses to frame him but are not able to find any,” said the former Punjab law minister, adding that in this kind of situation, the party has no reason to believe Shehbaz would be convicted if fair trial takes its course. “The question of a replacement therefore, does not arise.”
Abbasi: former premier, and potentially Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.
