Intra-party election: PML-N riddled by rifts over key party posts

Nawaz Sharif shortened trip to Saudi Arabia, arrived in Pakistan Monay to chair meeting of key party members.

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is holding a crucial meeting later this week to overcome growing internal differences ahead of elections to choose the party’s provincial office-bearers and chalk out a ‘decisive’ strategy to seek fresh parliamentary polls, sources said.

According to party officials, PML-N president Nawaz Sharif shortened his trip to Saudi Arabia and arrived in Pakistan on Monday to chair the meeting of key party leaders expected on coming Friday.

Some PML-N leaders, including its spokesperson Senator Mushahid Ullah Khan, however, said the meeting was scheduled for September 12.

Sharif rushed back home after one of his veteran associates from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa threatened to form a faction if he was not offered an important slot in the intra-party elections.

Saranjaam Khan, a PML-N leader from Mardan, recently said he would quit the party if his demands were not met.

Similarly, the party was also facing challenges in Sindh where Ghous Ali Shah was demanding a key post.

The party was also facing trouble choosing a provincial president out of several heavyweights in Punjab, including Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, his son Hamza, Sardar Zulfikar Khosa and Khwaja Saad Rafiq.

In July, a general council of the party elected central office-bearers, but deferred elections for provincial party post because of emerging differences.

There have been hectic efforts since then to resolve issues, but insiders said little headway has been made till now. “That is why Mian Sahib (Nawaz) himself decided to take control of things,” one party leader said.



Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2011.