Sharif asks PML-N leaders to woo PPP, others 'in the greater interest of democracy'

The ruling PML-N to kick-start 2018 election campaign at district-level

ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is gearing up for the 2018 elections by launching a countrywide public mobilisation campaign at the district level.

The decision was taken on Monday at the median meeting of party’s newly-constituted Central Executive Committee (CEC), chaired by the party chief, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

In the new CEC, notified last Saturday, members from both the prevalent camps in the party – respectively linked with Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif – are included.

However, analysts believe that composition of the new CEC has further consolidated the elder Sharif’s position as more members from his camp are included in the committee.



Among the new members are Maryam, daughter of Nawaz, Hamza son of Shehbaz, Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb and former information minister Pervaiz Rashid.

A participant of the meeting said Sharif has given the herculean task to his daughter Maryam to contact the disgruntled members and address their grievances.

The PML-N head has also tasked some ministers to contact other political parties for what he called “greater interest of democracy”.  The PML-N and PPP have been in touch at the level of second-tier leadership; however, the PPP’s de-facto supremo Asif Ali Zardari has publicly declined to meet Sharif.

By adopting an anti-Nawaz public posture, the PPP which will holding public gathering in Islamabad today [Tuesday] after a long gap of 10 years, is trying to regain the ground it lost to its rivals, especially in Punjab, the stronghold of the PML-N.

PPP Chairman Bilalwal Bhutoo Zardari on Monday asked Sharif to retire from politics since he has been disqualified by the highest court of the country.

"The meeting discussed in detail 2018 elections. We have decided to launch campaign at district level", Senator Mushahidullah Khan told reporters outside Punjab House after the CEC meeting.

He said the party president had given directions to start preparations for the next general polls. He, however, did not elaborate if his party was planning for early elections.

A powerful segment in the ruling camp is of the opinion that they should go for polls few months before the schedule, immediately after the Senate elections scheduled for early March 2018. The terms of the national and provincial assemblies will complete in the last week of May and first week of June.



If assemblies are dissolved on completion of their normal terms around early June, general polls will be held by late July or early August 2018. In case assemblies are dissolved early, elections will have to be held within 90 days of their dissolution. In both cases, the weather will be a major factor.

Hashmi meets Sharif

Veteran politician Javed Hasmi, who left the PML-N in 2011 to join PTI, also met Sharif before the CEC meeting. Hasmi left the PTI during the party's marathon sit-in in Islamabad that started in August 2014 after he made serious allegations against Imran Khan. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique was instrumental in arranging this meeting, PML-N sources said.

Mushahidullah said Hashmi was not formally rejoining the PML-N yet. More huddles are expected, he added.  According to him, this meeting took place on the invitation of Sharif.

The PPP cautiously welcomed the development.  Khursheed Shah, the leader of opposition in the National Assembly, said he had advised Hashmi not to quit the party, when he parted ways with Sharif.

He claimed a senior PML-N leader who according to him is not close to Sharif these days had played a role in fomenting dissent between Nawaz and Hashmi. Shah was apparently referring to former interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar, who was nominated leader of the Opposition by PML-N after the 2008 elections.