Marvi Memon loses out on vacant PML-N seat

Party workers awarded two vacant seats after one threatened to join PTI.

LAHORE: Former lawmaker Marvi Memon may have joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with much fanfare, but that doesn’t mean her inclusion hasn’t led to dissent within party ranks.

On Sunday, according to an official PML-N handout, party president Nawaz Sharif awarded two vacant National Assembly seats to party workers Seema Mohiuddin Jeelani and Shaheen Shafique. According to sources, one of the seats had initially been promised to Memon – but Jeelani had threatened to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) if the party decided to go ahead with its decision.

Pressed by party workers unhappy at the prospect of Memon being awarded a seat, Nawaz gave the seats to Jeelani and Shafique. The latter is reputed as an inner circle party stalwart.

The two seats in question fell vacant when PML-N’s Nuzhat Sadiq was elected senator, and Memona Hashmi joined PTI.

Memon herself is currently in Matli, Sindh, campaigning for justice for a rape victim from Sindh University.

The PML-N chief, however, has several other issues on his mind as well. Nawaz, after spending two days in Islamabad where he met opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, was expected to leave for Dubai for two days on Sunday night. Sources told The Express Tribune that the purpose of the trip was to meet “international stakeholders”.

PML-N Deputy General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, however, said that Nawaz was merely going to pay a visit to his daughter.

According to sources, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q’s) sacked provincial president, Amir Muqam, will hold a press conference with Nawaz where he will announce his decision to join the PML-N along with two PML-Q MPAs, dozens of former lawmakers and around 500 general councillors of the party.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2012.