Kulsoom Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif have emerged as two strong candidates to replace former President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif while the party is also considering nominating any other senior leader as acting president for an interim period. Informed sources told Business Recorder that a consultation process has been completed during a consultative meeting here at the Punjab House on Thursday chaired by Nawaz Sharif who was removed as the party chief by the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Before leaving for Lahore, Nawaz Sharif told party workers at the Punjab House that the consultation process with the senior party leaders including Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been completed and a decision in this regard will be announced soon. Sources privy to the development said that majority of the senior leaders backed Shahbaz Sharif to be named as the PML-N president while many others supported Kulsoom Nawaz, the ailing spouse of Nawaz Sharif as the new party head.
They said that Prime Minister Abbasi and party Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq have suggested the name of Shahbaz Sharif as the new party chief. However, they said that it would be Nawaz Sharif to take the final decision who could announce the new party chief's name anytime soon. Sources further said that the Thursday's meeting also deliberated upon another option to appoint any senior leader for an interim period as acting president and two names were discussed - the names of current chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir.
Secretary General PML-N Ahsan Iqbal briefed the meeting about the letter of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through which the party has been asked to nominate acting president in seven days and a president in 45 days. However, the sources said that a final decision to appoint a permanent or an acting president of PML-N will be taken by Nawaz Sharif himself which would be placed before the Central Executive Committee (CEC) for endorsement.
Earlier in the day, Chairman PML-N Zafar-ul-Haq had told reporters that PML-N's Central Working Committee will appoint the party's interim president next week. The party leaders and workers rushed to the Punjab House after Nawaz Sharif's arrival from the accountability court where he appeared in relation to corruption cases against him and his family.
Nawaz Sharif also addressed the workers briefly, saying that the legislation made by the Parliament is nullified, adding that efforts are being made to paralyze the system.