*ISLAMABAD – *Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz shelved at least three internalprobes, including one concerning alleged horse-trading in Senate polls.
In March this year, the new PML-N President, Shehbaz Sharif, ordered aninternal probe against lawmakers who allegedly voted for candidates ofrival parties.
The decision was taken after a PTI leader, Chaudhry Sarwar, unexpectedlyemerged victorious in the Senate elections from Punjab.
In the 371-member Punjab Assembly, the PML-N has 310 seats against PTI’s 30seats.
Sarwar got 44 votes in the Senate polls, implying that he received at least14 votes more than his party’s total strength in the provincial assembly.This extra support came either from the treasury or opposition lawmakers.
However, this probe was quietly shelved as PML-N leadership feared furthersplits in the party ranks.
Many in N-League thought the party was already facing serious challenges,following the debacle in the Balochistan Assembly and the unexpected defeatin Senate elections for the top slots in the upper house of parliament.
PML-N leadership is believed to have thought that taking steps againsthorse-trading would add to uncertainty and fuel internal strife.
Interestingly, Sharif and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi both havesupported calls to probe horse-trading in Senate polls but neither PML-Nnor the federal and Punjab government made any headway in this regard.