ISLAMABAD: The resignation of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as senior vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has become a mystery following his spokesman denied reports about his resignation despite confirmation by two party spokespersons.

Hafiz Usman Abbasi, spokesperson for Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in an audio message to the media, contradicted the media reports about resignation of the party senior vice president as “baseless”.

“The report that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has resigned as senior vice president of PML-N is totally baseless and contrary to the facts and, on behalf of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, I categorically reject it as baseless and contrary to the facts,” his spokesman said, adding Abbasi is still senior vice president of the party. The spokesman also referred to Abbasi’s association with the party since very long and the pressure he had to face during the Musharraf government, adding that Abbasi would never part his way with the PML-N.

However, two party leaders including the PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb and Muhammad Zubair, who is the spokesperson for the PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, have reportedly confirmed the resignation of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Earlier in the day, reports claimed that Abbasi has sent his resignation as senior vice president of PML-N to party president and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who has not accepted it as yet. Abbasi had reportedly developed differences with the party leadership following last month’s appointment of Maryam Nawaz as PML-N’s chief organizer without consultations.

Through his public statements, Abbasi has also expressed his reservations over the way Miftah Ismail was removed as finance minister and replaced with Ishaq Dar. Since then, Abbasi has not been seen in the party’s meetings and instead started addressing countrywide seminars and holding pressers under the platform of a non-partisan – “Re-imagining Pakistan” – along with likeminded politicians including Miftah Ismail, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Lashkari Raisani, and others.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023