Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will take up today (Tuesday) the matter of appointment of new party president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. Acting Secretary General PML-N Ahsan Iqbal is likely to appear before the ECP bench headed by the chief election commissioner (CEC).
On September 26, the ECP issued notices to PML-N for failing to appoint a party president in the stipulated time after Nawaz Sharif was de-notified as an MNA on July 28. The Commission further directed Ahsan Iqbal to submit a reply by October 3, after the party failed to comply with the law despite passage of 45 days.
The PML-N can be barred from partaking in any electoral activity if it fails to appoint a party chief within the designated time. According to the Political Parties Order 2002, a disqualified parliamentarian cannot hold any position in the party. According to PML-N's party constitution it was supposed to elect a president within 45 days after the ouster of Nawaz Sharif and the deadline passed on September 11.
In October, the Senate had passed the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 with amendments, which allows a disqualified MNA to be the head of a political party. The same bill was passed by the National Assembly on Monday. On Monday, Central Executive Committee of PML-N approved amendment in party's constitution after which the ousted member would also be able to lead the party. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq chaired the session at Punjab House. The committee unanimously accepted the amendment moved by Federal Minister of Climate Change Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan.