Shahbaz Sharif is set to be appointed as president of the PML-N after Pakistan’s Election Commission asked the ruling party to replace his brother Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified as Prime Minister by the Supreme Court, a senior leader has said.
Raja Zafarul Haq, senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, told the media that Shahbaz Sharif, 65, would be the new president of PML-N.
The formal decision would be taken later this week in Lahore in meeting of the PML-N. Though Mr Nawaz still holds sole authority to appoint anyone to any post, but he consults party before major decisions.
The 67-year-old ousted Prime Minister was president of the ruling party until he was disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 28 over the Panama Papers scandal. According to the local laws, he lost his seat in the National Assembly and cannot hold any post in the party.
Meanwhile, Mr Nawaz on Wednesday embarked on a journey to Lahore from Islamabad via the famous Grand Trunk Road to show his popularity among the people despite security concerns following a bomb blast in the Punjab province’s capital.
He held a meeting with interim Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Cabinet ministers and senior party leaders before starting the 370-km-long journey. Mr Nawaz was accompanied by hundreds of his supporters.
