*LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Central Working Committeeon Tuesday elected Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as **the party’sacting president. *

A meeting of the CWC with PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq in the chair washeld at the Sharif family’s Model Town residence.

The meeting was attended by former premier Nawaz Sharif, Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi and other top brass of the ruling party.

Shahbaz, who is the Punjab’s chief minister, emerged as a consensus choicefor the top party position.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had already put his weight behind hisyounger brother for performing well in Punjab and keeping the party unitedby dint of his “exceptional qualities.”

Sources say the former premier will be calling the shots from behind thescene and have greater say in party affairs even though the younger Sharifremains the party chief.

Shahbaz Sharif has ben elected for the interim period of 45 days until thegeneral council meeting takes place next month to elect the full-timepresident.

It is likely that the Punjab chief minister will continue as the party’spermanent president after the interim period.

As per the PML-N constitution, the party’s CWC is to elect its acting partychief within a week of the top party seat is vacated due to any reason.Afterwards, the party’s general council is required to elect a presidentwithin 45 days.

Nawaz Sharif remained the party chief until the Supreme Court declared himineligible to head his party.

On Feb 21, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by ChiefJustice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar gave this verdict on a number ofpetitions challenging the controversial amendment to the Election Act20117, which allowed Sharif to head his party.

The court also declared that all decisions taken by Nawaz as PML-Npresident since July 28 stand null and void after the judgment.