PML-N names Shehbaz as next PM; Asif to be interim

• Parliamentary party to announce names in today’s meeting

The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Friday decided to elevate Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the next prime minister of the country, however, Khawaja Muhammad Asif is likely to be elected as leader of the house as a stop-gap arrangement, enabling the provincial chief executive to get elected to the National Assembly.

A source in the ruling party told Pakistan Today that majority of the party members endorsed a proposal to pitch Shehbaz Sharif as the next prime minister. However, the decision would be finalised in today’s parliamentary party meeting. Moreover, Nawaz Sharif would also hold consultative meetings with the leaders of the coalition partners.

According to the proposal, Shehhaz Sharif is expected to contest by-poll from NA-120 of Lahore, which has fallen vacant after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. Only after winning a National Assembly seat, Shehbaz would be able to be appointed as the next prime minister.

Shehbez can try his luck from any other safe constituency as well. In such a case, the ruling party’s lawmaker would have to tender resignation for a by-poll. The sources said that the meeting also discussed the names of Hamza Shehbaz and Rana Sanaullah as the next chief minister of Punjab.

The source said that the meeting empowered final decisions to Nawaz Sharif who has also decided to expand the debate for choosing his successor. “Nawaz Sharif has summoned the parliamentary party meeting today where a consultation process would take place. He (Nawaz) would then pick his successor after getting support from the party,” he said.

Khawaja Asif, who is considered one of the most respected party leader and currently of out of the country, is likely to be made prime minister for 45 days. Asif has held a series of key positions within the PML-N since 1991. He was elected to the National Assembly from Sialkot.

The names of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Khurram Dastgir and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are also on the list, to be announced later today, with the short-term prime minister. After the a consensus on the name of the new house leader, the ruling party to inform the presidency to convene the National Assembly where they will present their name and the normal procedure will follow then.

PARTY POSITIONS: The ruling party has a simple majority in the National Assembly which has total 342 lawmakers. Out of the total 342 lawmakers, the PML-N has backing of 189 members while it has support of 20 members of the coalition parties including 13 members of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F), five members of PML-F, three members of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), two each from National People’s Party, one each member of the Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A), National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z).

This takes the total tally of the ruling coalition to 209 members. Nine members of FATA would most likely go with the ruling coalition, taking the total strength to 218. The opposition parties have no match to the strength of the ruling coalition though. Pakistan People’s Party is the largest opposition party which has 47 lawmakers, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has 33 lawmakers, while Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) has 24.

Other opposition parties have minimal strength with Awami National Party and PML two members each, Jamat-e-Islami four members, while APML, Qaumi Watan Party, Awami Muslim League, Awami Jamhoori Ittehad. Three independent lawmakers including Malik Amir Dogar has already joined the PTI while Zain Elahi and Jamshed Dasti also side with the opposition benches. This takes the total tally of the opposition to 121.