LAHORE: Prime Minis­ter Shehbaz Sharif has resigned as PML-N president to pave the way for his elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, to retake his “rightful place as the president of the party”.

The former prime minister is likely to be re-elected on May 28 in the party’s general council meeting. Khawaja Saad Rafique is likely to replace Ahsan Iqbal as the PML-N secretary general.

In his resignation tendered to the party’s secretary general on Monday, PM Shehbaz said: “[T]he time has come for Nawaz Sharif to retake his rightful place as the president of PML-N.”

Mr Nawaz was removed as the party president in 2018 after a Supreme Court bench headed by then-chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar ruled that an individual disqualified under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution cannot serve as the head of a political party.

A few months ago, in 2017, he was disqualified for life by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers-related corruption cases.

He was replaced by his younger brother, who was made the party president.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb posted PM Shehbaz’s resignation on X in which he reflected on the events of 2017, where the party “faced adversity under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership” with “resilience and fortitude”.

“I am cognisant that this role has always been viewed as a trust or amanat bestowed upon me by our revered leader. I was heartened by recent developments that have exonerated our leader with dignity, affirming his unblemished integrity and commitment to the service of the country.”

He also demonstrated the commitment to “serve the party diligently and with unwavering loyalty under Nawaz’s leadership”.

The indication of Mr Nawaz retaking the helm was given last month when the PML-N Punjab chapter members passed a resolution urging him to lead the party since he had been acquitted in all pending corruption cases upon his arrival from London in October last.

“Nawaz Sharif was disqualified in 2017 by the Supreme Court through a conspiracy. Now it’s time that he assumes the office of the party president and leads the party to new heights of popularity,” the resolution had said.

PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah told a presser after the meeting that Mr Nawaz was being made president again primarily to “undo the injustice” meted out by the Supreme Court in 2017.

“Nawaz Sharif was removed from the party president’s office through a conspiracy. Now that Nawaz Sharif has been acquitted in all (corruption) cases, he should take up the party’s reins,” Mr Sanaullah had said.

Since he arrived in Pakistan last year following four years of exile, Mr Nawaz has been cleared in two corruption cases — Avenfield and Al-Azizia — by the Islamabad High Court.

The final hurdle in his reelection to public office was removed in January when the Supreme Court, in a majority verdict, quashed lifetime disqualification for lawmakers under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

He contested the February 8 general elections and was all set to become prime minister for a fourth time, but his party failed to get a simple majority in the polls.

He then stepped aside for Mr Shehbaz to lead the six-party coalition government in the Centre.

Since the general elections, Mr Nawaz kept a low profile, however, of late he made a few public appearances chairing and co-chairing with his daughter, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, administrative meetings of the Punjab government.

This has led to many questions about how Mr Nawaz could chair government meetings, as he holds no official position in the provincial or federal government and was only a National Assembly member.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2024