The former interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, has admitted to PML-N's support for an extension granted to the former army chief, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, back in 2020. This support was strategically motivated to, as he put it, "overthrow PTI chairman, the then prime minister."
This revelation came to light during Rana Sanaullah's appearance on a private TV channel, where he characterized the party's vote for Gen Bajwa's extension as a tactical maneuver aimed at combating perceived mischief within the political landscape. Only a day prior to this revelation, Rana Sanaullah had launched a scathing attack on former generals Bajwa and Faiz Hameed, labeling them as "national criminals" and demanding action against them. In 2020, the Parliament had unanimously passed amendments to the Army Act, solidifying the extension, with the PML-N being one of the parties that cast their votes in favor of this decision.
This admission by a senior PML-N figure sheds new light on the party's strategic thinking during a critical juncture in Pakistan's political landscape. Meanwhile, the former prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has hastily returned to London, carrying what has been described as an 'important message' for his brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif.
Shehbaz Sharif's return to Lahore followed a month-long stay in London, where he engaged in discussions and meetings with Nawaz Sharif and other prominent party members