President Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Shahbaz Sharif quit the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in a bid to send a message of conciliation to the Prime Minister and powerful quarters but this ploy does not appear to have worked and he is unlikely to quit the coveted slot of Leader of the Opposition in NA as well as party presidency.
In early May while Shahbaz Sharif was in the UK for a medical checkup, after receiving special permission from the court to leave the country, Rana Tanveer has been nominated as chair of the PAC but his nomination was later withdrawn partly because it fuelled speculation that Shahbaz Sharif had no intention of returning and partly because at the time the Pakistan Peoples Party had expressed serious reservations over not being consulted on his replacement.
Background discussions with informed insiders in PML-N suggest that Shahbaz's decision to step down as PAC chief was aimed at conveying a message to Prime Minister Imran Khan and the powers-that-be that he would keep a low political profile and not 'interfere' in the government affairs using the forum of PAC.
In return, the former chief minister Punjab was hopeful to get some relief-in the backdrop of serious challenges the PML-N is faced with in general and Sharif family in particular.
"But it seems that troublesome times are not over for our party and things are not likely to change," commented a central office-bearer of PML-N, requesting not to be named.
"Had Shahbaz not stepped down as PAC chief, he was in a position to give a tough time to the government in the name of accountability and parliamentary check over corrupt financial practices. The PAC is the most powerful committee of Parliament whose recommendations in relevant matters are hard to ignore for the government-but he quit that office hoping that PM would take a sigh of relief seeing Shahbaz sidelining himself from mainstream parliamentary oversight business- but there has been no reciprocation from the other side," the source, who enjoys close association with Shahbaz, told Business Recorder.
In a scenario that has brewed more problems for Shahbaz, President PML-N Punjab chapter Rana Sanaullah was recently arrested by Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) near Lahore on charges of his alleged links with drug peddlers. Rana is regarded as the most trusted confidante of Shahbaz heading the party affairs in the N-League's political stronghold of Punjab.
His arrest has sent shockwaves in the rank and file of PML-N with many party stalwarts fearing similar treatment by the security apparatus in days to come. After Rana's arrest, Shahbaz has decided not to quit as Leader of the Opposition in NA sensing that his 'reconciliatory' measures have not worked.
Another party leader, on condition of strict anonymity, said, "It's true that the president PML-N has long been trying to mend fences with the establishment. I think it's not the government but the establishment Shahbaz is really concerned about. And his decision to quit the PAC chairmanship was part of this plan-to offer an olive branch to those who really matter in Pakistan's politics but I don't see any relief for Shahbaz or the Sharif family or PML-N. Nothing has changed or is likely to change no matter how hard they try."
He said Shahbaz has no plans to step down as party president and allow his niece Maryam Nawaz to take control of the party. Maryam is already facing a case in the ECP against her appointment as PML-N vice president allegedly in violation of constitutional provisions after being convicted by accountability court in Avenfield Apartments reference last year.
"I don't think Maryam will ever be able to replace Shahbaz and become party president. She is already on bail granted by the Supreme Court and related corruption case against her is pending in Islamabad High Court. If Shahbaz goes to jail and PML-N will have to choose a new president, it would be someone who would have close association with Shahbaz, not Maryam. And I don't see anyone better than Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for this purpose," Kanwar Dilshad said.
Elaborating on his viewpoint, the ex-secretary ECP said, "Even though Nisar is disgruntled at the moment as he has apparently parted ways with PML-N and he contested last year's general elections independently, who knows he can be at the helm of affairs in PML-N in the times to come. Not to forget that Nisar is considered close to establishment and he also got along well with Shahbaz when PML-N was in power. I think he will have an important role in PML-N if Shahbaz goes. I can see that happening. And for Maryam and her family, I see no political future," Dilshad commented.