All eyes are set on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and prime minister-in waiting Nawaz Sharif to watch out for his nominations for the office of National Assembly (NA) speaker and deputy speaker.
It has been learnt that the party’s core leadership is in last-minute consultations to finalise names of those who will run the PML-N show in NA.
Party officials say an announcement will be made soon in this regard following release of the schedule for the maiden NA session to be held on June 1.
If one goes by parliamentary traditions, the position of speaker usually goes to smaller provinces. For the PML-N, it is all the more important to trust somebody from smaller provinces so as to maintain a balance since the next prime minister and important cabinet ministries will be from Punjab.
But the catch for PML-N is that it dominates in Punjab with little parliamentary presence in other provinces. As such there is hardly anyone from outside Punjab the PML-N could trust with this important position.
Mehmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party was once the favourite for this office. But recently there has been a change of hearts on this count. Some PML-N leaders say that the party cannot trust any outsiders and want the speaker to be from within PML-N’s ranks; someone who could toe the party’s line without becoming very independent.
Abdul Qadir Baloch, a party loyalist could be a choice for the coveted position. But Baloch is more interested in joining the federal cabinet as home minister.
Running the National Assembly smoothly according to the party’s priorities is of utmost importance for PML-N since Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has a solid presence in Senate. The speaker’s post is also important because Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is fully prepared to take on the PML-N as the real opposition in the coming days.
Meanwhile, PML-N leaders await the meeting of the party’s central executive committee and other decision-making bodies to take important decisions before Nawaz Sharif takes oath or finalises his cabinet.
Sources say that consultations over key issues have been going on among a very limited circle to the exclusion of top party office-bearers.
