ISLAMABAD: The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday cleared the way for former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to be re-elected as the party’s president.
The PML-N leaders approved an amendment which allows any person to assume the party’s presidency even if that person does not hold public office.
PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq presided over the CWC session, which was also attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, interim PML-N President Senator Sardar Yaqub Nasir and provincial governors of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The PML-N members also endorsed a resolution forwarded by Climate Change Minister Senator Mushahidullah Khan, reposing confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.
Earlier in the day, an informal advisory session was held after Nawaz returned to Punjab House after appearing before an accountability court. Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Pervaiz Rashid and Dr Asif Kirmani were present during the session along with the Punjab chief minister.
Nawaz had appeared before the accountability court in connection with three graft cases prepared by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against him and his family.
However, he was not formally charged as his lawyer argued that all of the accused in the case must be present in court before they could be indicted. The accused — Nawaz; his children Hussain, Hassan, and Maryam; and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar — are now expected to appear on October 9 to be formally indicted.
The court has issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the men and a bailable warrant for Maryam, likely keeping in mind that she may need to stay with her ailing mother in London.
The PML-N has also convened a meeting of its general council on Tuesday to formally begin the process of re-electing Nawaz Sharif as the party’s president.
Earlier, there had been reports that the ousted prime minister would fly to London on Thursday to inquire after his wife, Begum Kulsoom, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer at a private hospital in the United Kingdom.
Former senator and the party’s chief election commissioner, Chaudhry Jafar Iqbal will apprise the members of the schedule for the election of party president.
It is unlikely that any other PML-N member will file nomination for the post.
In August, following Nawaz’s disqualification by the Supreme Court, the ECP had informed the PML-N that according to the Political Parties Order 2002, a disqualified MNA cannot hold any position in the party.
Last week, the PML-N managed to amend the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 in the opposition-controlled Senate.
According to the bill, every citizen will have the right to be a part of a political party, except those in government service, and will also have the right to form a party. It enables the ECP to scrutinise election expenses within 90 days, failing which election expenses submitted by a political party would be deemed to be correct.
The bill states that any parliamentarian could only be disqualified for a period of five years and that ECP will be an independent and autonomous body, which will formulate its own law, and party funding details will be available online. It also restricts the caretaker government from making any policy decisions.
feasible and also obtain a great value for their cash. Even one experience with a costly home appliance replacement.
iit IT IS A PITY THAT SOME PEOPLE IN PAKISTAN ARE GUNNING FOR NAWAZ SHARIEF WHO SUFFERED SOMUCH FOR THE CAUSE OF DEMOCRACY AT HANDS OF ‘ COMMANDO BRAND DICTATOR’ GENERAL MUSHARRAF. FORTUNATELY HIS SUCCESSOR MR ABBASI HAS HANDLED THE MESSY SITUATION FOLLOWING NAWAZ’S EXIT VERY ABLY IN A DIGNIFIED MANNER. POLITICAL PARTIES REVEL IN CHAOTIC SITUATIONS THEY ENJOY UNREST PROTESTS AND CONTINUOUS UPHEAVELS.. IT IS HIGH TIME POLITICIANS FOCUS ON PROGRESS THAN PROTESTS
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