Sana opposes Shahbaz’s elevation to Centre

Published August 2, 2017
Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Rana Sanaullah. – File Photo
Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Rana Sanaullah. – File Photo

LAHORE: An influential member of the Punjab cabinet has opposed the elevation of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to the National Assembly, believing there are sufficient political and legal grounds against this step of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

“The focus of the party will divert from its development agenda to the electoral game for the rest of the present assemblies’ term if Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, successfully delivering in the electoral base of the party, is elevated to the office of prime minister,” Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan suggested to the PML-N leadership in an all-important consultative meeting in Murree on Monday.

“We should not force upon ourselves a 45-day [electoral] disturbance after one was imposed on us last Friday,” he told Dawn in a reference to the Supreme Court decision of disqualifying Nawaz Sharif as prime minister on July 28.

He claimed that the party leadership had promised to give a serious consideration to this and two legal submissions of his once Shahid Khaqan Abbasi assumed the charge as the prime minister.

A practising lawyer himself, Rana Sanaullah said he had also informed the leadership that the apex court’s verdict could be overturned as an “error of judgement”, provided a review petition against it was heard as an appeal by a larger bench, because “receivables” could not be considered assets under the Income Tax Act.

He expressed the opinion that Nawaz Sharif might re-enter electoral politics and was not disqualified for life because in an almost similar case, retired Justice Iftikhar Cheema, who had won from the National Assembly constituency NA-101 (Gujranwala) in 2013 but was later disqualified by the Supreme Court for concealing assets, had been allowed to contest the by-polls held last year.

Keeping in view these grounds, Nawaz Sharif can make his comeback with no need for elevating the chief minister from Punjab to the federal government.

According to some TV channels, the PML-N leadership is seriously considering a proposal to continue with Mr Abbasi as prime minister till the next general elections.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram atrocity
Updated 22 Nov, 2024

Kurram atrocity

It would be a monumental mistake for the state to continue ignoring the violence in Kurram.
Persistent grip
22 Nov, 2024

Persistent grip

PAKISTAN has now registered 50 polio cases this year. We all saw it coming and yet there was nothing we could do to...
Green transport
22 Nov, 2024

Green transport

THE government has taken a commendable step by announcing a New Energy Vehicle policy aiming to ensure that by 2030,...
Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...