LAHORE: Putting an end to the rumours surrounding the battered party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday nominated his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the candidate for the slot of prime minister in the coming general elections.
Nawaz announced this decision after a meeting of PML-N bigwigs at his Jati Umra residence, Lahore.
Praising the work of Shehbaz as the current chief minister, he said, “Shehbaz has always worked to further the party policies for public welfare and this unflagging attitude earned him the opportunity to be trusted for a higher office.”
He lauded Shehbaz’s vision of swift progress and development and the success he has achieved as chief minister and said there was no harm in consultation and/or agreement with the younger brother. “Shehbaz Sharif has never disappointed me,” said the PML-N president.
The PML-N chief said that Shehbaz has had a difference of opinion over some issues yet his commitment to the party overrules everything else, which was why he never violated the party discipline.
Putting his foot down regarding the party discipline, Nawaz said those who claimed to be in the PML-N should stand by the party and the party’s stance in testing times instead of creating and fanning discord.
“Such behaviour will not be tolerated,” he warned and added that the dissenting statements were not being appreciated in the party. Nawaz warned that the orchestrators of the religious sit-in would [inevitably] understand the dangerous long-term consequences of this action.
Talking about the future, he said the election campaign and movement for non-partisan across-the-board justice and supremacy of civilians in democracy would be run jointly.
“These two principles of civilian supremacy in democracy and sanctity of vote will be the slogans for the 2018 election campaign,” he made it clear.