Nawaz Sharif’s daughter seeks to rebuff impression her father will quit active politics

Islamabad: Hours after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif nominated his younger brother Shehbaz for the post of prime minister, his daughter Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday sought to rebuff the impression that her father has quit active politics.

“In the next 5 years, Nawaz will not only participate in active politics but also oversee the PML-N-led governments in Punjab and at the Centre,” Maryam, the PML-N senior vice president, said in a post on X.

وزارت عظمیٰ کا عہدہ قبول نا کرنے کا مطلب اگر یہ اخذ کیا جا رہا ہے کہ نواز شریف سیاست سے کنارہ کش ہو رہے ہیں تو اس میں کوئی سچائی نہیں۔ اگلے ۵ سال وہ نا صرف بھرپور سیاست کریں گے بلکہ وفاق و پنجاب میں اپنی حکومتوں کی سرپرستی کریں گے انشاءاللّہ۔

نوازشریف کی تینوں حکومتوں میں عوام…

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) February 14, 2024

In a surprise move late on Tuesday night, the PML-N nominated Shehbaz as the prime ministerial candidate instead of Nawaz, 74. Shehbaz, 72, is expected to head the coalition of leading political parties led by PML-N as it is set to comfortably cross the simple majority mark to form the next government in Pakistan after the February 8 elections produced a fractured mandate.

The 50-year-old political heir of Nawaz Sharif, also termed the step by her father as a “principled stance” that the three-time former premier took, as announced earlier, of not being part of a coalition government.

Maryam said it is being deduced that Nawaz Sharif is avoiding politics by not accepting the post of Prime Minister, but there is no truth in it.

Maryam, whom the party has nominated as the chief minister of Punjab province – the bastion of the Sharif family – also reminded that Nawaz had led the earlier three governments when the PML-N had a clear majority and said, “... He (Nawaz) had made it clear in his election speeches that he will not be a part of any coalition government. Those who are aware of Nawaz’s temperament know his principled stance.” The party functionary also said that her uncle, Shehbaz and herself are Nawaz’s “soldiers”, bound by his orders and will work under his leadership and supervision.

“The PML-N stalwart's statement comes, as speculations are abuzz regarding the elder Sharif bidding adieu to politics with many on the social media site X, sharing their disappointment over the decision to pull out of the race for prime minister and instead nominating his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif,” reported Geo News and quoted multiple political leaders’ posts on X on the subject.

Earlier, six parties — PML-N, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) – on Tuesday announced to form government in the Centre on the pattern of last government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s tally, the total number of general seats won by these six parties comes to 152, which shows they can easily achieve the minimum required number of 169 to form the government at the Centre after the addition of 60 women and 10 minority seats in their tally.

In results declared over three days, independent candidates backed by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party had won the most seats in Parliament and the party has alleged that its mandate has been “stolen in the dark of the night.”