Maryam possesses the qualifications necessary to serve as the party’s leader: PML-N insiders have told Raja Zafar that electing Maryam as party president might not go over too well with the group led by Shehbaz.
In light of the kind of performance that Maryam Nawaz has shown, the vice president deserved a chance to lead the party as its president, said Raja Zafarul Haq, the chairman of the PML-N, who confirmed that intra-party polls will be held on December 30. LAHORE: Considering the kind of performance that Maryam Nawaz has shown, the vice president deserved a chance to lead the party as its president.
A party insider who is close to the Shehbaz family, on the other hand, indicated that this appeared to be an extremely improbable scenario. It would be strange to remove Shehbaz Sharif, the current prime minister, from his position as president of the party, even if he did not totally rule out the prospect. He did, however, point out that he did not rule out the possibility.
After being given a last show cause notice by the ECP for failing to organise intra-party elections, the ruling party had earlier in November given an assurance to the chief poll monitoring body that it would hold elections by the end of this year. In light of the fact that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will likely take disciplinary action against the PML-N if it does not comply with the ECP’s final show cause, the PML-N appears intent on holding elections on December 30, which also happens to be the date on which it was established.
The date of the party elections was announced to take place on December 30 by the party chairman as well as the special assistant to the Prime Minister. In an interview with The Express Tribune, Raja said that the election process for all of the portfolios will get underway a few days before the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Raja was speaking about the meeting.
When Raja was asked about Maryam’s potential rise to the position of party president, he stated that he, too, has heard rumours about the vice president being considered for the party president job. Maryam is currently the party’s vice president.
He commended Maryam’s performance and the way she led the party in the absence of her father and party supremo Nawaz Sharif, stating that it established her qualifications and that it was a testament to her leadership abilities. He continued by saying that Maryam was completely ready to take on the responsibility.
When asked about the schedule of the election process, the chairman of the PML-N responded that it typically begins a few days before the date of the election. He also stated that portfolios are normally determined with “agreement” beforehand, and that the CWC meeting just ratifies the names.
In response to a query on the current president of the party, Shehbaz Sharif, Raja stated that Shehbaz was a senior party leader and that he would be accommodated in a senior position within the party.
It is important to note that senior members of the PML-N passed a resolution in February 2018 designating Nawaz Sharif, who had been disqualified from holding the party presidency and then his premiership, as “[the party’s] Quaid (leader) for life.” This gave Nawaz Sharif an honorary position in the party on the same day that Shehbaz was appointed as the acting president of the party.
Since then, Shehbaz Sharif has been serving in the position of leader.
“A party dedicated to change absolutely need”
During an interview with The Express Tribune, a former district chairman reiterated the sentiments expressed by PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, stating that Maryam Nawaz will bring the kind of reform that the party so sorely required.
Under the condition that he remain anonymous, he stated that Maryam had the potential to strike a chord with younger voters. However, he added that the removal of Shehbaz Sharif as PML-N president and incumbent prime minister, who is regarded as “a poster boy” for his performance in PML-N circles, will spark a public debate in general about the party being a family enterprise. Shehbaz Sharif is seen as “a poster boy” for his performance in PML-N circles.
He went on to say that the adversary will relish the chance to capitalise on this opening.
In addition to this, he indicated that the decision will not be warmly received by the “Shehbaz camp,” which, despite having authority within the party and in other contexts, is subject to being dominated by the camp led by Maryam whenever the latter so chooses.
He stated that if Maryam were to ascend to the party throne, there would be much less room for Shehbaz to lead politically-oriented activities. On the other hand, he brought up the fact that there was simply talk going around the party regarding Maryam’s interest for the post, but there was no official confirmation of this.
He went on to point out that the two camps adhere to different policies, with the camp led by Maryam typically being seen as favouring retaliatory politics over reconciliatory politics, whereas the camp led by Shehbaz Sharif is generally regarded as being in favour of reconciliatory politics. He pointed out that both camps adhere to these policies.
It is important to note that Maryam Nawaz moved to London in October in order to be with her father, Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in the capital city of Europe since 2019 for “medical grounds” and in order to receive treatment.
The father-daughter combo is anticipated to return to lead the PML-N party in December, according to various sources within the PML-N. These sources say that their comeback is imminent.
