- Says Nawaz Sharif still top leader despite being ousted from power thrice
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Senior Vice President and Chief Organizer Maryam Nawaz Saturday said that she and her father Nawaz Sharif were well aware of the inflation and economic problems being faced by the public, promising that her party would steer the country out of economic woes but it will take some time.
“Your Quaid…your beloved leader would return to the country soon,” Maryam Nawaz Maryam told to jubilant supporters and workers who thronged Allama Iqbal International Airport to welcome their leader. The PML-N SVP and chief organizer returned to Pakistan to begin the “reorganisation of the party” ahead of polls in Punjab.
The PML-N chief organizer landed at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport from Abu Dhabi at around 3:30pm via PIA flight PK-264.
Upon her arrival at Lahore Airport, she tweeted: “Pak sar zameen shad bad.”
During her address, Maryam Nawaz asked the nation to “have faith in PML-N” and it will steer the country out of the current quagmire.
She said, “The point that four years of disqualification, incompetence and neglect have pushed the economy to the present stage and it will take some time.”
In her address, Maryam vowed her father would also return to the country “in upcoming days with God’s blessings [and] in your affection”. She asserted the PML-N would win the upcoming Punjab elections with significant margins.
“Nawaz Sharif is still the top leader of the country despite being ousted from power three times,” she remarked.
Without naming anyone, Maryam said, “These people forced Nawaz Sharif to go in exile twice but it was Nawaz Sharif who steered Pakistan out of trouble three times.”
The PML-N leader said she and Nawaz Sharif were well aware of the inflation that the country was mired in and promised that her party would resolve the challenge.
Referring to her recent elevation to the role of party’s senior vice president and chief organiser, she thanked her father, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the people for trusting her with new responsibilities. “I promise you, my country and my party that we won’t sit idle for even a single day now.”
Addressing Imran, Maryam said, “Today, that person is talking about inflation who during his tenure used to mercilessly say ‘I got to know about the inflation from the TV’ and used to read out prices from notes.”
“Accountability of eight months will be taken later. First, accountability of the last five years will be taken.”
The PML-N leader concluded her address with the expected announcement of setting out on a campaign visit to cities across Punjab. “The schedule of my visits to all districts of Punjab, starting from Feb 1, has been made.”
Meanwhile, the PML-N’s official Twitter account shared a video of a “sea of people eagerly waiting” to welcome her. Hundreds of people can be seen waving flags and holding party banners while a party anthem plays in the background.
Earlier, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said Maryam was returning to begin the “reorganisation of the party”.
She had left Pakistan for London in October last year, just a day after her passport was returned to her. At the time, she said she was “eager” to meet her father Nawaz, whom she hadn’t met since 2019.
In a tweet today, Aurangzeb said Maryam will reach Lahore today by 3pm. “Party leaders, workers and people are eagerly and happily waiting for Maryam Nawaz,” she said. “Maryam Nawaz will return to the country and start the reorganisation of the party.”
She departed London for Pakistan yesterday. It is understood that she will build the party’s election narrative — as formulated by Nawaz — holding Imran, former judges and military officers responsible for the economic and political instability in Pakistan.
It comes after Interior Rana Sanaullah announced that she would return on January 28th (today). He also said there would be a “huge reception” awaiting her at the Lahore airport.
On Saturday afternoon, PML-N Punjab’s Twitter account posted a video of Maryam boarding a plane from the UAE.
Elevation to top role in party hierarchy
On January 3, in a move that was seen as a significant development in terms of the PML-N’s internal politics, Maryam was elevated in the party ranks, making her one of the party’s senior-most leaders in the country.
In a notification, the party’s president Shehbaz appointed vice president Maryam Nawaz as ‘senior vice president and chief organiser’ of the party with immediate effect. Earlier, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was the only senior vice president of the party.
PML-N chief Shehbaz also authorised her to “reorganise” the party “at all functional levels”.
“Pursuant to the powers conferred under the constitution of the PML-N, the undersigned (Shehbaz Sharif) is pleased to appoint Maryam Nawaz Sharif as senior vice president with immediate effect. She is authorised to reorganise the party at all functional tiers/levels as chief organiser,” the notification says.
PM Shehbaz said in a tweet: “I have appointed @MaryamNSharif as senior vice-president of PML-N. She has the drive, determination & experience to lead the party’s organizational matters. I have no doubts that she will very effectively galvanise our party’s rank & file with the vision of our Quaid Nawaz Sharif.”
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is a relative of Nawaz Sharif’s, was among the first to congratulate his daughter.
“Heartiest congratulations and best wishes for @MaryamNSharif on her appointment as SVP/Chief Organiser of PMLN by the party President @CMShehbaz in consultation with the party Quaid @NawazSharifMNS.”
