Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif chairs yet another government meeting despite criticism

Lahore: Unfazed by criticism, Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has chaired yet another administrative meeting with his daughter and Punjab province Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Sharif, who is also the supremo of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, on Monday, co-chaired a meeting to review issues faced by the province’s agriculture sector, a report in Dawn newspaper said on Tuesday.

The veteran leader chairing the administrative meetings raised many questions as he does not hold any official posts in the provincial or federal government and is only a National Assembly member.

Since the February 8 general elections marred by allegations of vote rigging, the 74-year-old PML-N supreme leader has generally kept a low profile. However, in the few public appearances since, he has been seen chairing or co-chairing with his 50-year-old daughter administrative meetings of the Punjab provincial government.

“This has led to questions, as Sharif holds no official position in either the provincial or federal government and is officially only a member of the National Assembly,” it said.

Earlier in March, Sharif assumed a ‘de-facto’ role of Punjab chief minister, and presided over three administrative meetings of the provincial government, raising many eyebrows.

Sharif issued directions to the authorities concerned and ministers regarding different projects in the province, which used to be the bastion of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, regarding different infrastructure projects, including the underground train and metro bus, farmers’ plight, electric bikes for students and Ramzan relief package.

Sharif was elected from Lahore in the February 8 polls. Jailed former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has alleged that its mandate was stolen by Sharif-led PML-N.

Sharif served as Punjab chief minister twice in the 1980s before moving to Islamabad. He was Pakistan's prime minister for three non-consecutive terms.