Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Thursday nominated Rana Tanveer Hussain to replace Shahbaz Sharif as chairman Public Accounts Committee (PAC). According to the sources, PML-N also nominated Khawaja Muhammad Asif as parliamentary leader of the National Assembly. PML-N is also holding discussion on nominating former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as opposition leader in the National Assembly. However, a decision in this regard will be taken after the return of Shahbaz Sharif to the country.
The sources said that the decisions have been taken at a PML-N's parliamentary party meeting which met here at the Parliament House. They said that Asif has been nominated as parliamentary leader by Abbasi during the parliamentary party meeting. The sources said that final decision to replace the leader of opposition in the National Assembly would be taken by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Sources said that there were differences among PML-N leaders over the party's narrative in present political situation. The party leaders also differed over change of party office-bearers in Punjab province. Answering a question of media persons outside the Parliament House, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi denied that he is being nominated as the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly.
Abbasi said that Asif has been made parliamentary leader on the request of Shahbaz Sharif. However, PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that there is no truth in news reports about replacement of the opposition leader.
She said that Shahbaz continues to hold the position, adding that "the joint opposition, under his leadership, will keep on playing its role in exposing the government's inability and inefficiency." PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif also said that party president Shahbaz Sharif would return to Pakistan to attend the National Assembly's budget session.
"Mian Shahbaz Sharif is our party's leader. He is the opposition leader in the National Assembly and party president... Mian Shahbaz will lead the debate during the budget session," Khawaja Asif said. The sources said that the decisions were taken by Shahbaz after having consultation with his elder brother and founder of PML-N Nawaz Sharif.
Shahbaz Sharif is currently in London where he is receiving treatment and is expected to return back to the country on May 14, 2019. According to the sources, Shahbaz Sharif felt that it was not right to continue with the PAC chairmanship in the current situation.
They said, "Shahbaz Sharif nominated Rana Tanveer as the PAC chairman and Asif as parliamentary leader. Shahbaz didn't want to become the PAC chairman and had only assumed the post on insistence of the opposition and parliamentary advisory group."
According to the procedure, the party will now have to write a letter to the National Assembly speaker regarding the change. The speaker's office will then issue a notification about the appointment of the new PAC chairman.
According to the sources, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser said that he does not have an issue with whoever the opposition appoints as chairman PAC.
While talking to media persons, Asif said that Shahbaz had three important offices so he wanted to delegate responsibilities to other party leaders.
He said that Rana Tanveer has been nominated as the PAC chairman in the spirit of Charter of Democracy (CoD). He said that Shahbaz Sharif is their party leader and he would come back to the country. He said that Shahbaz Sharif has a role in Pakistan.
In a series of tweets before his departure to London, Shahbaz had said: "I am going to take a quick visit to London to see my grandchildren & go through my own medical checkup and return soon." "Because of judicial grace exercised by courts, I am now on bail and my name has been taken off the ECL." Earlier, on April 4, the Interior Ministry had removed the name of the opposition leader from the Exit Control List (ECL) on the directions of the Lahore High Court. The PML-N meeting was presided over by Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and was attended by Abbasi, Tanveer, Khurram Dastgir, Mushahid Hussain, Asif and other members.
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