Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi dismissed reports of differences within the party ranks or between brothers Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif.
Abbasi said the party is united like before and will face the prevailing adverse political situation bravely.
He is the only senior vice-president of the party in the wake of the change of the party office-bearers announced on Friday. PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, in consultation with his elder brother Nawaz and senior leadership of the party, approved new office-bearers of the party.
After the senior vice-president, the other two top positions have gone to PML-N stalwarts Ahsan Iqbal (Central Secretary General) and Rana Sanaullah (President of the PML-N, Punjab).
PML-N leader and three-time former premier Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz has also been named for the first time vice-president of the party. Shahbaz’s son and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz is also among 16 vice-presidents of the party.
Former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who is facing a corruption reference for allegedly owning assets beyond known sources of income and is currently in London, has been appointed the president of international affairs; Marriyum Aurangzeb the information secretary; Pervez Malik the finance secretary’ and Tariq Fatemi secretary policy and research.
Talking to the media after addressing a well-attended Paigham-i-Pakistan Conference in Narowal, the hometown of Iqbal, Abbasi said those who think the recent shuffling in PML-N was because of some differences in the party leadership live in a fool’s paradise.
Iqbal, Sardar Ramaish Singh Arora and other party leaders were also present on the occasion.
“We are in high spirits and under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif we are determined to face false cases fabricated against our leadership and us,” said Abbasi.
Abbasi said not even a single penny of corruption was proved against any PML-N leader despite the accountability case currently underway against the party. He said the PML-N government spent Rs3,000 billion (Dh778.2 million) on development without committing any corruption.
Abbasi rubbished reports of any change of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. He said party leader Shahbaz will return to Pakistan in a week or so. He claimed that the PML-N had never sought any National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) from anyone. About change of Public Accounts Committee’s chief from Shahbaz to Rana Tanvir MNA, he said it was only to give some relief to Shahbaz from work. As per parliamentary practice, heading PAC is the right of the major Opposition Party and since we are the major Opposition Party it will go to our member and PPP leadership understands that very well, he said.
Iqbal while welcoming Maryam to the position of vice-president of the party said they would get fresh impetus by her appointment. It will boost party workers’ morale as well, he said.
The PTI-government’s spokesperson Special Assistant to PM on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, however, criticised Maryam’s appointment to PML-N vice-president’s office saying it was a violation of the election rules as she was a convict.
