LAHORE – PML-N supremo Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has ruffled some feathers after chairing multiple high-level meetings of the Punjab government that is head by his daughter CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz.
Nawaz is an MNA from Lahore and does not hold any office in the Punjab government or the Federal government. Him conducting these meetings and issuing directives on various provincial initiatives therefore raises questions.
His presence at the Punjab Govt meetings on Monday is his the first public appearance by the former Prime Minister who has been largely absent from political activity following a less than satisfactory election result for his party in the February 8 general elections.
A press release circulated after the meetings outlined directives from the PML-N leader concerning various infrastructure initiatives such as the underground train and metro bus, addressing farmers’ challenges, providing electric bikes for students, and formulating a Ramazan relief package.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif was seated alongside her father during the deliberations held at the Chief Minister’s Office, who the latter praised in another meeting for uccessfully launching the Ramazan relief programme.
During a third meeting, the PML-N leader instructed an expansion in the quantity of electric bikes available to students through affordable monthly installments. Additionally, he mandated a reduction in bus fares.
Furthermore, the meeting resolved to initiate metro bus projects in three cities and requested a proposal for implementing an underground train system in Lahore.
Old habits die hard
There’s a widespread belief that despite lacking an official position in the province, the PML-N leader is the key decision-maker in all major matters.
This notion was reinforced by his daughter and the Chief Minister, who left no room for doubt during a discussion regarding the inclusion of Mr. Sharif’s image on bags used for distributing ration under the Ramazan relief package. She asserted, “Because it is Nawaz Sharif’s government.”
Even during his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure as Chief Minister, Mr. Sharif chaired provincial meetings, leveraging his position as Prime Minister. However, this dynamic shifted when his party failed to secure a simple majority in the National Assembly during the recent general elections.
Consequently, Mr. Sharif stepped aside, allowing his brother Shehbaz to lead the coalition government at the center, a position he was poised to assume for the fourth time until a few months ago.
