LAHORE: Top PML-N leaders presented views both in favour and against initiating talks with all stakeholders, including the establishment, in a meeting with its Quaid Nawaz Sharif.

“In a recent internal meeting of the party bigwigs, the PML-N outrightly rejected the PTI government’s plan to introduce electronic voting machines in the 2023 election. With regard to Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal to initiate a ‘grand dialogue’ with all stakeholders, including the establishment, they had different opinions,” a party insider told Dawn on Tuesday.

Those who attended the meeting included Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pervaiz Rashid, Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Hamza Shehbaz and Khurram Dastgir. Nawaz Sharif and former finance minister Ishaq Dar attended the meeting through a video link from London. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif ensured his presence through a video link from Lahore.

“It was the party’s internal meeting and in coming days more such meetings will be held to decide whether the party should continue its policy of resistance and stick to its ‘give respect to the ballot’ slogan or show some flexibility in it and has a dialogue with the establishment to ensure level playing field for it in the future election,” the insider said.

In the face of renewed efforts of Mr Shehbaz, Pervaiz Rashid reminded the participants about the party’s success because of its ‘GT Road narrative – give respect to the vote and there should be no meddling of the establishment in politics. “Almost five years have passed since PML-N gave its narrative. Will anybody tell me whether our votebank has increased or not. It has increased to a great extent showing our narrative’s popularity among the masses. Winning of almost all by-polls in Punjab and KPK is a proof of it and today, especially in Punjab, the PML-N’s ticket is most sought after,” the insider quoted Mr Rashid as having said and added despite all vindictive actions the PML-N was the biggest political party of the country today.

Mr Rashid also questioned why the narrative which had been successful for the last five year was needed to be replaced with any other one. He also questioned the impression that the party lawmakers were worried and wanted the leadership to have a dialogue with those who mattered ahead of next polls.

“If this had been the case, Mr Rashid said our ticket would have not been that much sought after and this fact is known to everyone around.”

The former federal information minister reminded the party “those who had sidelined Nawaz Sharif from politics were interested in talking to him today.”

Former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the party should stick to its (Nawaz) narrative, however, it should avoid head-on collision (with the establishment). “We should stick to our principled stand while making sure that next polls should be free and fair without the interference of any institution,” Mr Abbasi was quoted as having said.

PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah requested Nawaz Sharif to determine a ‘leading role’ of vice-president Maryam Nawaz in the party. “When the party’s main leadership was in jail Maryam Bibi led the party from the front and mobilized the workers. Now she is sitting at home, therefore, she should be given some active role in the party,” Sanaullah said.

Former railways minister Saad Rafique talked about ‘taking the power circles’ into confidence. He was of the view that there could be a repeat of 2018 polls in 2023, stressing that politics of resistance should be reviewed.

Hamza Shehbaz followed the line of his father and underlined the need to have a grand dialogue. He was of the view that if the establishment had realised its mistake of bringing to power an ‘inept premier’ the party should give it a way and move forward.

Ishaq Dar explained the possible maneuvering of the PTI government in the next polls through electronic machines. Thus the party agreed not to even have talks over the matter.

Nawaz Sharif did not address the meeting.

The opposition leader in the National Assembly in a TV interview last week had floated the idea of a grand dialogue among all the stakeholders for working together for the progress of the country. Mr Shehbaz had said he believed that Mr Nawaz would be willing to play his part in the country’s progress “if there is a free, fair and transparent election, every institution operates within its respective domain, there is rule of law in the country and a roadmap is devised with the input of all stakeholders.”

He went on to say: “Aur iss kay liya agar mujah Mian sahib (Nawaz) ka paun bhi parna paray to pakrun ga (And for this, I am even ready to touch his feet and beg to convince him.”

Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal to hold a grand dialogue is said to be a reflection of the party’s lawmakers’ ‘strong’ desire who had categorically told him that they could not sit in the opposition after the next election, therefore, the party needed to review its policy of confrontation.

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2021