Although the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has refused to accept the Panama Joint Investigation Team (JIT) report and made it quite clear that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will not step down, however the possible candidates for premiership are under consideration in plan B if PM has to leave his office.
According to details, the names of Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurram Dastgir and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are being discussed as Nawaz Sharif's replacement. Sources have further revealed that two federal ministers are against Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's appointment as the prime minister because they do not consider him a senior member, and have openly opposed him as a nominee. The probability of selecting a candidate from any coalition party is also being discussed, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is a strong candidate for that.
Some groups are also backing Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for the aforementioned post as he had defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in the 2013 general elections, and his appointment as PM would surely hurt PTI chief. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar were the best options to replace Nawaz Sharif, but the JIT report has knocked out complete Sharif family, therefore, their names are not under consideration anymore.
On the other hand, a debate has arisen in the PML-N camps regarding the seniority of members to replace PM Nawaz. It is now also a test for Nawaz Sharif, who is party chairman as well as the premier, to lead PML-N and the government out of trouble by taking right decisions. Furthermore, a responsible government official informed a private news channel that Nawaz Sharif will nominate the next PM himself if has to leave his office, but all the authorities to take official decisions will remain with him.
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