- Nawaz-headed meeting rejects ‘minus-one’ formula
LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a high-level huddle on Monday decided to create an election cell in the run-up to the general elections, besides reiterating party’s demand for timely elections.
The party huddle headed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umra, Lahore, lasted for four hours.
During the meeting, overall political situation of the country, party strategy for the general elections, corruption references against the Sharif family, reopening of the Hudaibiya Paper Mill reference against the Sharif family, and issue of confrontation with the institutions came under discussion.
It may be mentioned here that NAB appeal against Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict scraping Hudaibiya Paper reference could not be heard on Monday as Justice Asif Khosa, who was heading the SC bench hearing the case, recused himself from the bench, saying that he had already given his opinion on the reference in Panama case.
In the huddle, it was resolved that Nawaz will begin his campaign to reach out to the masses at the divisional level of the province, and address countrywide public gatherings, as the members decided that the ‘minus-Nawaz’ formula was unacceptable.
Regarding the party’s popularity in Sindh, the meeting decided that the Sindh chapter of the PML-N chapter would boost its contact with the masses and strengthen the party.
The issue of fissure in the party continued to haunt the ruling party, as a private media outlet reported that the division within the party was noticeable, with some members advocating politics of resistance while others stressing that the party should adopt the approach of reconciliation, sources said.
The PML-N leadership also discussed the draft delimitation bill and opposition parties reservations over population census. During the meeting, it was decided that contact with other parties for passing the delimitation bill would be made.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Governor Punjab Rafiq Rajwana, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and other representatives attended the meeting.
