ISLAMABAD – The former premier Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified from holding government, as well as party office in the backdrop of Panama case verdict, will likely be elected as the head of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz again on October 3.
Nawaz’s way to the presidency of his party was paved amid much uproar when during a recent session of Upper House of the parliament, an amendment in the Election Bill 2017 was okayed by a single vote allowing a disqualified legislator to take over reins of the political party.
As the bill has already been passed by the National Assembly, it will only be returned to the lower house on October 2 for fresh votes on the Senate’s amendments.
Looking at the number game, the ruling PML-N is in a comfortable position to green light the legislation after which the bill would land on President Mamnoon Hussain’s desk for endorsement, thus making it a law.
The very next day, the PML-N will hold a general council meeting of the party wherein Nawaz is expected to be elected its chief again.
The third-time ousted premier Nawaz Sharif had to relinquish the top slot of the party after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office for concealing his employment with Capital FZE, a firm owned by his younger son Hassan.
The Representation of Peoples Act 1976 bars anyone who is ineligible to become a member of parliament from holding office in a political party.
After the top court’s verdict, the PML-N has been run by its acting president Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar, a senator from Balochistan.
The embargo is, however, being removed through the Electoral Reforms Bill 2017 passed by the National Assembly on August 22 and the Senate, with some amendments, a month later on September 22.
Interestingly, earlier in the day, Nawaz Sharif would be indicted by the accountability court in corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau and in the evening, President Mamnoon Hussain would okay the legislation.
