Pakistan’s newly-elected Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is likely to continue as premier for the remaining 10-month tenure of PML-N as the party chief Nawaz Sharif has hinted retaining his younger brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in the key province.
Former PM Mr Sharif, who was disqualified by Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on July 28, had nominated Shahbaz to succeed him after winning a by-election on his vacant seat in Lahore.
Mr Abbasi, 58, was endorsed by Mr Sharif to hold the post for interim arrangement of 45 days (till mid-September) till Shahbaz makes to Islamabad.
“Sharif is holding a high-level huddle of PML-N senior leaders on Thursday in Murree to review his earlier decision to elevate Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to the Centre or not,” a PML-N senior leader said.
After Mr Abbasi was elected Prime Minister last Tuesday, he said many in the Mr Nawaz camp suggested that the former retain the position for the remaining term of the PML-N government as Punjab is very important for the party and cannot be left to an “inexperienced hand”.
In the meanwhile, Mr Abbasi held a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Murree’s Changla Gali area at Shahbaz Sharif’s residence.
‘Democracy, dictatorship same’
Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf has said that the army brings the country on track but the civilian governments derail it.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, Mr Musharraf asserted that democracy or dictatorship made no difference to the people as they only wanted employment, prosperity, and security.
