Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a recent PML-N General Council meeting, strongly advocated for the comeback of his brother, the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Expressing his hopes for Nawaz’s early return from London, he expressed his readiness to serve as a devoted party worker under his brother’s leadership.
He commended Nawaz’s exceptional capabilities in leading Pakistan towards prosperity, attributing the country’s progress during Nawaz’s reign to his vision. Nawaz’s significant contributions to resolving energy crises, infrastructural development, and the enhancement of agricultural and industrial sectors were noted in his speech.
Nawaz Sharif has been living in London since November 2019 after being granted permission to leave Pakistan for medical reasons. Following several health emergencies while serving his sentence for corruption charges related to the Al-Azizia case, Nawaz was advised to seek treatment abroad.
Shehbaz Sharif pledged to relinquish his party presidentship in favour of Nawaz Sharif upon his return. He also acknowledged and expressed gratitude for the trust placed in him by Nawaz, party leaders and members in electing him for the party’s presidency.
Shehbaz commended the resilience of PML-N, attributing the party’s ability to tackle national challenges to Nawaz’s leadership. He further emphasised the deep bond that exists between the party’s workers, leadership and the steadfast support from the public.
In a later tweet, Shehbaz expressed his unwavering commitment to serve Pakistan, desiring to be remembered as a devoted worker under Nawaz’s guidance.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s efforts amidst economic adversity were also praised by Shehbaz. Amidst criticisms faced by Dar regarding the IMF deal, Shehbaz asserted that critics of Dar have no place within the party.
He also applauded Maryam Nawaz, PML-N’s Senior Vice President, for her courageous leadership of the party across Pakistan. PM Shehbaz stressed on the need for youthful leadership, acknowledging the country’s predominantly young demographic.
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Throughout his speech, Shehbaz expressed his gratitude towards the party leadership and workers for their determination and resilience, even when faced with hardship and oppression.
He stated that, in the face of severe economic pressures, his government prioritised state welfare over political gain, a decision he acknowledged was not an easy one.
Shehbaz asserted that under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, the coalition government resolved to navigate through the tough economic conditions. He noted that, despite severe economic constraints, the government managed to increase the salaries of government employees.
The premier recently returned from Azerbaijan after signing an LNG import agreement, following a deal for cheap oil from Russia. He challenged former premier Imran Khan’s claims about the current government, questioning how they managed to secure cheap oil if the allegations were true.
PM Shehbaz was elected unopposed as the president of PML-N along with Maryam Nawaz as the senior vice president and chief organizer of the party during the party’s intra-party elections. Key party positions were also filled, with Ahsan Iqbal elected as PML-N General Secretary, Attaullah Tarar as his deputy, Marriyum Aurangzeb as information secretary and Ishaq Dar as the president of overseas and international affairs.
