Nawaz Sharif to Reclaim Leadership of Pakistani Political Party

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, disqualified in 2017, is set to regain the presidency of his party, PML-N, after being acquitted in corruption cases. The party will elect Sharif on May 11, reversing the court ruling against him. Sharif's return marks an effort to reorganize the party under his leadership after his brother Shehbaz Sharif became Prime Minister.

Three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is all set to become the president of his party, PML-N, seven years after he was disqualified by the apex court from holding any public post, the party announced here on Friday.

A senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader told PTI that Nawaz, 74, will be elected president of the ruling party on May 11 in a meeting of the party leadership.

In 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Nawaz as premier and party president for his alleged corruption in cases related to the Panama Papers revelations about his illegal wealth stashed abroad.

PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah told a press conference that a decision to make Nawaz Sharif president of the party again has been taken at a party meeting.

“A resolution was passed at the party meeting today to make the elder Sharif PML-N president to undo the injustice meted out to him (Nawaz) in 2017 by the Supreme Court,” Sanaullah said.

The party will request Nawaz on his return from China to accept the president's office of the party.

Nawaz is currently on a five-day private visit to China.

“Nawaz Sharif was removed from the party president's office through a conspiracy. Now Nawaz has been acquitted in all (corruption) cases, he should again take up the party’s reins,” Sanaullah said and added the party will be re-organised under his (Nawaz's) leadership.

Following his return to Pakistan after a four-year self-exile in London in October last year, Nawaz Sharif got a clean chit in mega corruption cases allegedly with the blessings of the powerful military establishment.

He was all set to become prime minister for the fourth time but his party failed to get a clear majority in the National Assembly on its own in the February 8 general elections.

Nawaz then allowed his younger brother and the incumbent party president Shehbaz Sharif -- who is considered the favourite of the military establishment -- to lead a six-party coalition government at the Centre.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)