Nawaz likely to make political return on PML-N foundation day

Party to hold event on December 30

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has formally decided to hold a convention in Lahore on December 30 to commemorate the foundation day of its parent party Muslim League, known in the pre-partition days as All India Muslim League.

An organising committee for the event has also been constituted which will meet and plan the convention soon. Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal has been made the convener of this organising committee.

PML-N Chairman Raja Zafar Ul Haq has said the party is going ahead with the convention to celebrate the foundation day of its parent party All India Muslim League. Regarding participation of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, he said he was not in a position to answer this question.

When asked about speculation of meeting that took place in Islamabad in presence of Nawaz Sharif, where the idea of convention and whether or not he should participate in the convention were discussed, he said it indeed took place but Sharif was busy with court cases so he cannot answer this question.

On the other hand Ahsan Iqbal said Nawaz Sharif is the founding leader of the party so his participation will be a must. Similarly when asked about Maryam, he said she would also attend convention. However he said up till now the only decision that has been taken formally regarding the convention is that the event would take place in Lahore.

When asked if the convention is a comeback for the party and for the father-daughter duo who have been silent since suspension of their punishment, he said the PML-N is active in the political arena and did not require any comeback.

However, according to sources, this convention, if the situation becomes conducive, might signal formal return of Sharif to the political landscape. Sources have further indicated chances of Sharif not attending the event are very slim, if the court cases do not come in the way, so his participation and address to the convention would be a loud and a clear message of his formal re-entry.

“Sharif never distanced himself from political affairs of the party and even as now, it is Sharif who leads the party from behind the curtains,” said sources.