Nawaz Sharif nominated as PML-N party President
Shares
ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party on Monday nominated ousted premier Nawaz Sharif as its leader, local media said, hours before it used its parliamentary majority to amend a law to permit him to be re-elected as party chief.
Sharif resigned as prime minister in July after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a source of income. He was also forced to step down as president of PML-N, though he kept control of the party and installed Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a loyalist, as prime minister.
SAMAA reported a parliamentary meeting of the ruling party chaired by Abbasi nominated Sharif as its leader. He will be formally re-elected president in a session scheduled for Tuesday.
Hours later, Pakistan’s parliament amended a law to enable Sharif to re-take PML-N leadership. The amendment bill was presented by country’s law minister Zahid Hamid and passed by lower house with a majority.
“We feel very strongly Nawaz Sharif has to lead our party. He’s the symbol of unity in our party,” said Rana Afzal Khan, a PML-N lawmaker.
Khan said Sharif was battling to assert “civilian supremacy” and boost democracy in a nation that has been beset by military
interference in politics.
