Maryam to be elevated as senior vice president

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has decided to elevate his daughter and party’s Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif to the post of vice-chairperson or senior vice president, according to the party sources. 

The decision has been taken at a time when Maryam’s cousin and also party’s Vice-President Hamza Shahbaz has been granted bail by the Lahore High Court in a money-laundering case. According to sources, the general council of the party will endorse the proposal by the party Quaid in a meeting to be held here tomorrow (March 4). Maryam Nawaz is being elevated in recognition of her services for the party during the past over two years. Two proposals are under consideration; one is to elevate Maryam to the rank of party’s senior vice president and the other is to be appointed as vice chairperson of the party, according to the party sources. 

Currently, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is acting as PML-N’s senior vice president while Maryam and Hamza Shehbaz Sharif are among the 15 vice presidents. One of the vice presidents, Mushahidullah Khan has just passed away. Both Maryam and Hamza were previously named members of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). In the absence of senior party leadership, both Maryam and Hamza had been leading the party workers. Both have been striving to play the lead role in the time of crisis and, according to some political observers, were in competition of taking over the party. However, Maryam now seems to be leading the party.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had approved major changes to the party’s structure in May 2019 with former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi named the PML-N senior vice president and Maryam Nawaz appointed a vice president for the first time. Shehbaz Sharif was in the United Kingdom from where he had issued the names of the new party office-bearers after approval from his elder brother, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif in consultation with other party leaders. The development came a day after Shehbaz stepped down as the Public Accounts Committee chairman and only hours after the Supreme Court turned down Nawaz’ appeal to extend his bail.

Ahsan Iqbal was made PML-N’s secretary general. Hamza Shehbaz, Maryam Nawaz, Abid Sher Ali, Ayaz Sadiq, Chaudhry Barjees Tahir, Dr Darshan Lal Punchi, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Khurram Dastagir, Mian Javed Latif, Mohammad Zubair, Nelson Azeem, Pervaiz Rasheed, Raheela Durrani, Rana Tanveer Hussain and Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan are the 15 vice presidents of the party at present. Mian Nawaz Sharif became president of his Pakistan Muslim League again after a period of 10 years during a meeting of the party’s general council in July 2011. The general council had elected Shahbaz Sharif as PML-N president in 2002 to enable the party to take part in the 2002 general elections after the then president Pervez Musharraf imposed the Legal Framework Order, barring a political party headed by a convicted person from contesting the polls. Nawaz Sharif was convicted of hijacking a plane carrying General Musharraf from Colombo on Oct 12, 1999 and denying it to land in Karachi. The general toppled the PML-N government and Nawaz Sharif was exiled to Saudi Arabia. In July 2009, the Supreme Court overturned the controversial conviction and allowed Sharif to hold the party office.