- Party huddle likely to make Nawaz Sharif its president, Kh Saad Rafique as secretary general
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday rescheduled its general council meeting to May 28, to coincide with “Youm-e-Takbeer” — the anniversary of Pakistan’s nuclear tests conducted in 1998.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed the development in a statement, saying following consultation with PML-N leaders, the party’s general council meeting will be held on May 28 to mark the 26th anniversary of nuclear tests.
The meeting, previously scheduled for May 11, is likely to see key changes being approved with regards to the party leadership.
Last week, the party insiders reported that former railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique is likely to be made PML-N’s secretary general in place of Ahsan Iqbal, currently leading the Ministry of Planning and Development.
The party insiders claimed that the minster had requested the party leadership to relieve him of his secretary general duties when the party was in power under the banner of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from April 2022 to August 2023.
“I told the party leadership years ago that I want to leave the post,” the minister said while speaking it to a private TV channel.
Furthermore, it is also likely that Nawaz Sharif will also retake the PML-N’s reins as party president.
Nawaz’s reinstatement as party president was announced by PML-N Punjab chapter President Rana Sanaullah.
“Nawaz will lead the party again. The PML-N will move forward under his leadership,” Sanaullah said, speaking with journalists in Lahore.
Before that PML-N’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while speaking on a private TV channel, had revealed that there was a section within the party that believed that needed a full-time president and therefore, he added, there lies a possibility that Nawaz would once again secure the party’s top post.
Highlighting that Shehbaz does not have enough time to run the party as he is occupied with fulfilling his responsibilities as PM for the country’s economic recovery, Siddiqui said that the decision with regards to the party’s presidency would be made in a few months.
