PM Shehbaz Sharif elected unopposed PML-N President, Maryam Nawaz as Senior Vice President
ISLAMABAD, June 16 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has been elected unopposed as President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for next four years.
This was announced in the General Council Meeting of the party held in Islamabad on Friday. The election committee headed by Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and comprising Jamal Shah Kakar, Shah Muhammad Shah, Barrister Usman Ibrahim Ansari and Begum Ishrat Ashraf announced the results of the elections.
According to the results announced in the meeting, Maryam Nawaz Sharif was elected Chief Organizer/Senior Vice President of the party, Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhry as Secretary General, Marriyum Aurangzeb Secretary Information and Mohammad Ishaq Dar the Finance Secretary and President Overseas and International Affairs and Attaullah Tarar Advocate as Deputy Secretary General of the Party for next four years.
PML-N Chairman Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, PML-N Punjab’s President Rana Sanaullah Khan, PML-N Sindh’s President Shah Muhammad Shah, PML-N KP’s President Engineer Amir Muqam, and PML-N AJK’s President Shah Ghulam Qadir also participated in the session. Sources said Shahiq Khaqan Abbasi could not participate due to his foreign tour.
PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb tabled a resolution posing full confidence into PML-N surpemo Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, paying tribute to Shehbaz Sharif, and a tribute to Kashmir martyrs.
The resolution paid rich tribute to the bravery and patriotism of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif. It said Nawaz Sharif always gave priority to country’s national interests.
The resolution commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to bring political and economic stability to the country.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said this meeting extends full support to the Kashmiri brethren for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per UN resolutions. She said the meeting strongly deplores the violent incidents of 9th May and demands that the culprits involved in these acts should be brought to the book.
Addressing the session, PM Shehbaz Shehbaz said the party leadership belonged to Nawaz Nawaz, adding that the PML-N supremo would become the PM for the fourth time. “The party kept delaying the session repeatedly so that I might transfer the responsibility to Nawaz Nawaz when he would return,” he added. The party called the session, he said, because the ECP had instructed so.
He went on to say that the country’s landscape would change if Nawaz Nawaz returned. “Nawaz Nawaz ensured provision of electricity and constructed motorways for country,” he added.
Heaping praise on Maryam Nawaz, he said she was a brave lady, adding that she had been working hard.
Shehbaz Shehbaz said the PML-N needed young leadership, adding that Ishaq Dar had been working day and night. “The government gave relief to common people in the budget,” he added. There was no space for anyone in the party, he said, who had been pulling Ishaq Dar’s legs. The country would, he said, trek the path to progress soon.
The PM said the country had been developing swiftly during Nawaz Sharif’s tenure, adding that the people should not be afraid. “Nawaz Nawaz formed a comprehensive policy on Kashmir,” he added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his desire for Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country and his aspiration to work as “Nawaz’s soldier” when he contests the election to become prime minister again.
The prime Minister acknowledged the challenges faced by the government in fulfilling the conditions for an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He called on the nation to pray for the finalisation of an agreement with the global lender. He said the government was striving to secure a ‘short-term agreement’ with IMF.
Maryam Nawaz, in her address, praised Shehbaz Sharif for his role in the economic revival of the country. She emphasised that Shehbaz never made any decision without consulting Nawaz Sharif, highlighting their close partnership. Maryam also commended Nawaz Sharif’s patience and moral values, stating that he never incited chaos or unrest, but instead acted as a teacher and role model for the nation.
Commenting on May 9 incidents, she raised concerns about the treatment of martyrs, mentioning the incident in Balochistan where the sacrifice of soldiers in a helicopter incident was ridiculed. Maryam expressed hope that those responsible for such heinous acts would face the consequences of their actions.
Maryam Nawaz said Nawaz Nawaz would return to Pakistan before elections, adding that elections were not far. “Nawaz Nawaz rules the hearts of every party worker,” she added.
Shehbaz Shehbaz ran the country in trouble times,” she added. “Nawaz Sharif is the name of modern Pakistan”, she said.
Maryam Nawaz continued by saying Nawaz Nawaz put the country on a path to progress, adding that every development project carried Nawaz Sharif’s name. “If we exclude Nawaz’s nine years in government, we’ll be faced with ruins only,” she added.
No one who developed the country, she said, could harm it, adding that Nawaz Sharif never instructed his party workers to burn the country. “Her father never sought any outsider’s help after he was dethroned,” she added. Nawaz Sharif always preferred, she said, country to vested interests.
She said no one had monopoly over the PML-N, adding that workers were respected the most in the party. “It is the duty of every worker to strengthen the party,” she added. Those who performed well, she said, must be awarded portfolios.
She congratulated all the office-bearers on getting “elected” and hailed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar saying, “Ishaq Dar run the country in difficult times”.
Taking a dig at PTI chief, he said he who himself was corrupt was lecturing on honesty, adding that youth was handed over petrol bombs. “The plane that brought the PTI took it back,” she added.