Is a headhunt on for Sharif’s replacement?
PM is said to have met Ayaz Sadiq on Sunday for consultations
PHOTO: REUTERS / FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Publicly, PML-N leaders are denying media’s ‘guessing game’ about the possibility of an in-house change in the government, but behind the scene a headhunt is said to be ongoing for a replacement in case the Supreme Court disqualifies Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Rounds and rounds of consultations are being held at Sharif’s mansions in Murree, Lahore, and at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad. One such meeting took place in Shangla, a remote mountainous district of Khyber-Pakhunkhwa, sources told The Express Tribune.
Sources say Sharif has been frequently interacting with senior aides, including Khawaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Ayaz Sadiq. These four senior members of the ruling party are said to be potential choice for the coveted slot of prime minister, if Sharif is disqualified by the top court.
Khawaja Asif dispels rumours of PML-N considering new PM
Sharif has met Asif, Abbasi, Iqbal and Sadiq several times over the past few days, The Express Tribune learnt. However, Asif has publicly denied the possibility of an in-house change in the government.
On Sunday, Sharif and his family reportedly met Sadiq. Little is known about the meeting officially. According to reports, Sharif called Sadiq for an ‘important meeting’ in Murree where the ruling family members were also present.
Some reports claim the meeting took place in Changla Gali near Murree. But sources say Sharif and his family flew to Shangla for a daylong trip where Sadiq was also called. The Sharif family returned to Murree in the evening, while Sadiq flew to Lahore.
Shangla, the hometown of PM’s Adviser Engineer Ameer Muqam, is considered a stronghold of the PML-N in K-P.
The Prime Minister House and National Assembly Secretariat denied any such meeting had taken place. According to his office, the prime minister didn’t meet any political personality over the weekend in Murree while the National Assembly Secretariat said the speaker spent Sunday in Lahore.
Banners put up in Lahore asking Nawaz to let Shehbaz take over
Sources, however, say the prime minister decided to meet Sadiq in Shangla on Muqam’s advice, away from media’s attention. The meetings, sources say, were part of the PML-N’s contingency plan ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on Panamagate.
Notwithstanding Sharif’s frequent meetings with top party aides, reports suggest Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, would the ultimate choice of the prime minister if he has to step aside.
Constitutionally, however, Shehbaz would require to get elected to the National Assembly, a process that may take up to 60 days. This means, whoever steps into Sharif’s shoes, if he is disqualified, would be a stopgap arrangement.
Muqam confirmed he was in Shangla on Sunday but refused to comment on whether Sharif and his family members were also there or if Sadiq was called for a meeting. “I can’t say anything at the moment. In fact, I am in the middle of something important and not in a position to speak right now,” he told The Express Tribune.
PML-N leaders under fire
Second tier leaders of the PML-N came under fire on Sunday from journalists for the government’s inaction over recent manhandling of a female colleague by FIA officials at PIMS.
Just as Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Daniyal Aziz sat to address a news conference on Panamagate at the PID, journalists verbally attacked the PML-N leaders for the bizarre incident involving the humiliation of a female journalist by FIA officials.
Tariq Fazal tried to pacify angry journalists by saying that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar would take action but he [Tariq Fazal] also sought footage of the incident.
The journalists shouted “shame, shame” and “zulm kay ye zaabtay hum nahin maantay”. Secretary of the National Press Club Imran Yaqoob Dhillon warned PML-N politicians that media persons would boycott all press briefings of the government and the PML-N if an FIR was not registered in 24 hours. The PML-N leaders were later allowed to hold the media briefing.
Publicly, PML-N leaders are denying media’s ‘guessing game’ about the possibility of an in-house change in the government, but behind the scene a headhunt is said to be ongoing for a replacement in case the Supreme Court disqualifies Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Rounds and rounds of consultations are being held at Sharif’s mansions in Murree, Lahore, and at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad. One such meeting took place in Shangla, a remote mountainous district of Khyber-Pakhunkhwa, sources told The Express Tribune.
Sources say Sharif has been frequently interacting with senior aides, including Khawaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and Ayaz Sadiq. These four senior members of the ruling party are said to be potential choice for the coveted slot of prime minister, if Sharif is disqualified by the top court.
Khawaja Asif dispels rumours of PML-N considering new PM
Sharif has met Asif, Abbasi, Iqbal and Sadiq several times over the past few days, The Express Tribune learnt. However, Asif has publicly denied the possibility of an in-house change in the government.
On Sunday, Sharif and his family reportedly met Sadiq. Little is known about the meeting officially. According to reports, Sharif called Sadiq for an ‘important meeting’ in Murree where the ruling family members were also present.
Some reports claim the meeting took place in Changla Gali near Murree. But sources say Sharif and his family flew to Shangla for a daylong trip where Sadiq was also called. The Sharif family returned to Murree in the evening, while Sadiq flew to Lahore.
Shangla, the hometown of PM’s Adviser Engineer Ameer Muqam, is considered a stronghold of the PML-N in K-P.
The Prime Minister House and National Assembly Secretariat denied any such meeting had taken place. According to his office, the prime minister didn’t meet any political personality over the weekend in Murree while the National Assembly Secretariat said the speaker spent Sunday in Lahore.
Banners put up in Lahore asking Nawaz to let Shehbaz take over
Sources, however, say the prime minister decided to meet Sadiq in Shangla on Muqam’s advice, away from media’s attention. The meetings, sources say, were part of the PML-N’s contingency plan ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on Panamagate.
Notwithstanding Sharif’s frequent meetings with top party aides, reports suggest Shehbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, would the ultimate choice of the prime minister if he has to step aside.
Constitutionally, however, Shehbaz would require to get elected to the National Assembly, a process that may take up to 60 days. This means, whoever steps into Sharif’s shoes, if he is disqualified, would be a stopgap arrangement.
Muqam confirmed he was in Shangla on Sunday but refused to comment on whether Sharif and his family members were also there or if Sadiq was called for a meeting. “I can’t say anything at the moment. In fact, I am in the middle of something important and not in a position to speak right now,” he told The Express Tribune.
PML-N leaders under fire
Second tier leaders of the PML-N came under fire on Sunday from journalists for the government’s inaction over recent manhandling of a female colleague by FIA officials at PIMS.
Just as Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Daniyal Aziz sat to address a news conference on Panamagate at the PID, journalists verbally attacked the PML-N leaders for the bizarre incident involving the humiliation of a female journalist by FIA officials.
Tariq Fazal tried to pacify angry journalists by saying that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar would take action but he [Tariq Fazal] also sought footage of the incident.
The journalists shouted “shame, shame” and “zulm kay ye zaabtay hum nahin maantay”. Secretary of the National Press Club Imran Yaqoob Dhillon warned PML-N politicians that media persons would boycott all press briefings of the government and the PML-N if an FIR was not registered in 24 hours. The PML-N leaders were later allowed to hold the media briefing.