The central working committee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is all set to select Shehbaz Sharif as new president of the party in a meeting likely to be held next week. Party sources told Business Recorder that a ceremonious title of 'Quaid' will be extended to Nawaz Sharif after his disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution for not declaring his assets in the nomination papers.
According to the party sources, anyone eligible to become a member of the National Assembly can hold a party office which is no more the case of Nawaz Sharif after his disqualification from the Supreme Court. It may be noted that Nawaz Sharif has already declared Shehbaz Sharif as his political successor during the parliamentary meeting of the party in Islamabad.
He had also announced him as his replacement for the office of prime minister which was welcomed by the party members in majority. However, Nawaz Sharif had added in the same breath that the party position might be vulnerable in the absence of Shahbaz Sharif from Punjab. A few days later, provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah had also advised him through media that he should not leave for the centre and wait for the 2018 elections to become a prime minister.
The sources said there are strong apprehensions that replacement of Shahbaz Sharif would not be much effective and he might not be able to keep up the momentum of development work over the last nine years. It was because of his passion to perform that took the PML-N to the victory stand in 2013 general elections in Punjab. The party sources said that chances of fielding Shehbaz Sharif in NA-120 have become bleak. Instead, he will replace Nawaz Sharif as party head and any other member of the Sharif family is expected to contest the by-election scheduled to be held on September 17.
Another reason of not fielding Shehbaz Sharif in NA-120 is the timely completion of ongoing development projects in the province which requires his presence on ground by all means. They said that win from Punjab is very crucial for the party; therefore, Shahbaz should continue in his present position. The party sources said the committee can also finalize the name of Mariam Nawaz for contesting NA-120. However, no formal decision has been taken so far. Meanwhile, the names of Ahmed Hassan and Kalsoom Nawaz are also under consideration of the committee.