Sartaj Aziz – who has held key portfolios of finance and foreign ministries during PML-N’s last two stints in power in the 90s – has conveyed to the party leadership that he will not be able to take up the post for ‘personal reasons’.
The PML-N’s General Council elected Aziz as the secretary general in July but he sought three months from the top party leadership to take over the slot because he wanted to resign from a university where he was serving as a rector.
PML-N Spokesperson Senator Mushahidullah Khan confirmed to The Express Tribune that Aziz had refused to accept the position and revealed the PML-N was considering either Iqbal Zafar Jhagrha or Ahsan Iqbal for the slot.
Jhagrha held the same position in the past while Iqbal is currently serving as the deputy secretary general of the main opposition party.
Schisms within ranks
Though Khan tried to play down Aziz’s refusal, a party insider revealed it might be the beginning of another storm – perhaps the most serious one in recent years – within the PML-N.
Sources inside the party elaborated that it was Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who wanted to have Aziz as the party’s secretary general because of his ‘cordial relations’ with the country’s powerful security establishment.
On the other hand, sources added that Nawaz Sharif was never very keen on appointing Aziz for that post.
“This tells the entire story… it shows how complicated things are within the party,” said one party leader, requesting anonymity.
Though there wasn’t any explicit evidence, but some party officials added that the reason for Aziz’s refusal was being presumed as an outcome of Nawaz’s opposition to him — despite the fact that the former premier had himself nominated Aziz in July.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2012.
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Nawaz Sharif simply doesn't trust Sartaj Aziz enough and this is a good decision by Mr. Aziz. I thank Mr. Aziz for his service to Pakistan.
Will be a great addition to PTI......!!
If one were to make a list of 10 of the subcontinent’s most upright figures, Sartaj Aziz would assuredly rank on it. Very few can match his record in public service or rival the esteem he has come to command.
PML-N's Paper Lions are tearing apart.
Anyway PML-N is history, though once i used to be a die hard supporter like many others of this party and we rejoiced when they won elections of 1996. But history tells that Nawaz Shareef like to become chaudhry. He has little intellect and is concerned only to make his business grow and give a damn about other common Pakistanis. Now we support PTI as its the last hope for Pakistan.
Wishful thinking. This is old news read it weeks ago in urdu newspaper Ummat.
After Javaid Hashmi everything is serious. Now you know why PMLN is falling apart. Its all due to the inflated ego of one man.
@blithe: Probably Aziz will join the Imran Khan'a party the PTI.
why you people making issue