PML-N to elect interim head to replace Nawaz Sharif

Islamabad: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) is expected to appoint an interim President to replace ousted leader Nawaz Sharif, political sources said.

PML-N sources said senior Vice-President of the party Sardar Yaqoob Khan Nasir was likely to be given the responsibility once again. He had served an earlier stint last year.

The formal announcement in this connection would be made at the Central Working Committee (CWC) huddle of the party scheduled for February 27 in Lahore where party Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq would make the announcement, Adviser to Prime Minister Irfan Siddiqui said.

Sources in the party said that the decision for the election of the new party president would be made by the general body of the party after Senate elections, and by the time, party leaders would come up with a consensus candidate for the top slot.

The sources said that reports of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif emerging as a consensus candidate for the slot proved wrong and at the meeting at Punjab House Islamabad a few days back, where the issue came up for discussion, a sizeable people came up with the suggestion to elect Kulsoom Nawaz as the new party chief.

The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the party would be chaired by party Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq while Acting Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal would present proposals for appointing the acting president of the party.

Soon after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, he had also stepped down as party president and the party’s CWC had appointed Mr Nasir as the party’s acting president.

Under the Political Parties Act, if a party president’s seat falls vacant, it is required to be filled within 45 days but the time period for holding the office by the acting president could be extended.