Skip to main content

PML-N faces challenges in hosting grand event for Nawaz

LAHORE: A consultative meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N’s) youth coordinators for Lahore was chaired by Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz on Sunday. The meeting is part of a series of activities that the PML-N is conducting these days to make preparations for giving a rousing welcome to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif when he returns home on Oct 21. Mr Sharif had gone to London for medical treatment on Nov 19, 2019, after being released on bail from a seven-year jail term for corruption. Arranging a befitting reception, to be attended by at least one million people for the ex-prime minister, is a test case for PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam’s skills for cadre mobilization and crowd-pulling in the face of issues like differences among party leaders and ambiguity on the return of the elder Sharif because of protective bail concerns. Currently, party leaders like Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Khwaja Asif, and Azam Nazir Tarar, etc, are in London discussing legal and political delicacies with Mr Sharif, while Maryam will join them after completing a round of meetings with local party chapters and wings. To mobilise the party cadre, Maryam has appointed focal persons and formed coordination committees at district levels. These bodies, comprising former MNAs, MPAs, ticket holders, and other notables, are directly answerable to her only and will stand dissolved soon after the reception is over. A minimum target of bringing supporters to the reception for each parliamentarian, ticket holder, and party office-bearer is being finalized. However, statements by party leaders, including Khwaja Asif, that Mr Sharif will return home only after securing protective bail so that he is not arrested at the airport, like in July 2018, are creating doubts about the homecoming plans. And this is dampening enthusiasm among the party workers and supporters. Maryam is also confronting a daunting task of settling the differences among party leaders in various chapters, which may also create hurdles in smooth arrangements for the reception. During her mobilization campaign in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaders like former central general secretary and KP governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, and ex-KP chief minister Mehtab Abbasi were not invited to the meeting by KP president Amir Muqam. In a bid to cover up the issue, Maryam said that Mr Sharif was in direct contact with these leaders. However, Mr Jhagra held an anti-Muqam convention at his home, attended by, among others, Mr Abbasi and Tariq Khan, the son of another former general secretary Saranjam Khan. Differing voices were also raised against Gilgit-Baltistan PML-N president Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman as his rivals say that he has been heading the chapter for two decades and he must vacate the position for new blood. Mr Rehman offered to voluntarily resign from the post but Maryam stopped him from doing so, saying a decision to change of guards at any office in the country will be taken only after the return of Mr Sharif. Similarly, former Azad Jammu and Kashmir prime minister Raja Farooq Haider has refused to accept Shah Ghulam Qadir as AJK president, saying he is only answerable to the PML-N patron-in-chief. In Punjab, many notables are annoyed with former parliamentarians for being ignored when the party was in power. Now they are not ready to lend their support to these ex-MNA and MPAs in assembling party activists for the reception and are bent upon taking out their separate rallies for the purpose. The PML-N chief organiser is also beset with the task of managing the media, which she thinks is still under the influence of pro-Imran Khan anchorpersons. Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2023
http://dlvr.it/SwFy4M

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sindh police chief takes notice over viral alleged aerial firing videos of DIG East’s son

Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ghulam Nabi Memon took notice after videos of aerial firing allegedly by the son of a high-ranking Karachi police official surfaced on Thursday. Videos shared on social media allegedly showed the son of Karachi East Deputy Inspector General of Police Azfar Mahesar firing a pistol and rifles into the air while travelling in a luxury car. In one such video, policemen were also purportedly visible. Footage of the alleged incidents went viral on social media. A statement issued today from the Sindh police said IGP Memon ordered an inquiry against the DIG East and directed Karachi’s additional IGP to carry out the investigation. The statement added that departmental action would be initiated upon the inquiry’s completion. It said the investigation would also probe whether the weapons used in the incident were officially issued or not. “No one will be allowed to spread fear and chaos like this,” IGP Memon vowed. Meanwhile, DIG Mahesar
Post a Comment
Read more

Casualties feared in Dir clashes between FC, intruding militants: reports

LOWER DIR: Casualties are feared on both sides as militants from Afghanistan reportedly attacked Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at multiple locations at the Pak-Afghan border in Maidan area of Lower Dir district on Saturday, as per unconfirmed reports. According to local residents and official sources, there were reports of militants’ infiltration from the Afghan side via the Shahi border area at Lamotai Top, Suripao and Safarai forest. However, the reports were yet to be confirmed by Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing. On getting information about the alleged infiltration, troops of the paramilitary force, FC, led by Captain Yasin, Captain Asfandiar and Subedar Hamza, advanced to block the militants’ movement, as per reports. The militants allegedly attacked the troops, who also retaliated, thus prompting fears of casualties on both sides. The security forces surrounded alleged militants at three different locations. Later, gunship helicopters lau
Post a Comment
Read more

Family points finger at PPP MNA, two sons in journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s murder in Ghotki

SUKKUR: Slain journalist Nasrullah Gadani’s mother and two relatives have reiterated the allegation in statements recorded under Section 164 CrPC in a Mirpur Mathelo court that Pakistan Peoples Party’s MNA and his two sons had Nasrullah killed through their men. Ms Pathani Gadani, who was complainant in the case, and witnesses, Yaqoub Gadani and Salahuddin Gadani along with their counsel advocate Salahuddin Panhwar appeared before the second civil and first magistrate the other day and told him that PPP MNA Khalid Khan Loond, his sons, Shehbaz Loond, who was chairman of Mirpur Mathelo municipal committee, and Noor Mohammad Loond, had Nasrullah slain but the trio was so powerful that police had not dared include their names in the FIR. They appealed to the court to bring Nasrullah’s real killers to justice as per law and serve speedy justice to the bereaved family. Gadanis’ counsel Salahuddin Panhwar told media persons that the complainant and the witnesses had clearly stated t
Post a Comment
Read more