Nawaz Sharif meets Javed Hashmi prior to party's CEC meeting

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif met on Monday former party member Javed Hashmi at Punjab House.

Hashmi, a veteran politician from Multan, had left the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after a years-long association and joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2011. However, he later disassociated himself from the PTI following the party's prolonged protest sit-in against the PML-N government in 2014.

Sources said as Hashmi and Nawaz met, the former premier's daughter Maryam utterred, "welcome back home Hashmi Sahab".

Addressing the media later, Railways Minister Saad Rafique said PML-N President Nawaz Sharif appreciated Hashmi’s role for the supremacy of law and civilian authority. 

 

"PML-N agrees with the views of Javed Hashmi. Both the leaders agreed to continue their struggle for the supremacy of the Constitution," he said. 

"Hashmi is party's asset," he added.

Rafique said that the party will review Hashmi's inclusion in the party in its next stage of movement for the supremacy of law. 

He added that such meetings are not held to apologise or express embarrassment. 

PML-N's CEC meeting  

Nawaz chaired a session of the newly-formed Central Executive Committee (CEC) PML-N today.

The CEC has been formed as the party's apex decision-making body, after its Central Working Committee (CWC), which includes around 100 members.

Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan, in a press conference after the meeting, said that among other matters, the meeting discussed the negative impact of the Panama Papers case decision on the national economy and ways to neutralise that impact.

While speaking to journalists, Khan said the party has also decided to issue a show-cause notice to former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Raza Hayat Hairaj for violation of party discipline. 

He said that in the CEC meeting, the party was directed to start its preparation for mass-contact movement ahead of the next general elections.

The PML-N leader said that Hashmi in his meeting with Nawaz expressed his opinions openly but his re-inclusion in the party was not discussed today.  

Earlier, Nawaz also interacted with party members and officials wherein he read out poetry, much to their applause. 

The CEC meeting was attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar, and other senior party leaders.

Party leaders began gathering at the Punjab House earlier today, where they chanted slogans in support of Nawaz Sharif. The former prime minister arrived at the venue in the morning, where he was greeted warmly by the party members.

Maryam, Hamza part of PML-N’s CEC

Nawaz's daughter, Maryam, who spearheaded the party's victory in the NA-120 by-election in Lahore recently, has also been named as a member of the CEC. This is reportedly the first time she has been given an official position in the party.

On Saturday, the ruling PML-N announced the 109 members of its CWC and the 27 members of its CEC.

The CEC also includes the Punjab chief minister's son and MNA, Hamza Shehbaz.

Other top-tier party leaders in the CEC include: Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, State Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri, Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezus Rehman, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Federal Minister Birjees Tahir, premier's aviation adviser Mehtab Khan Abbasi, Begum Ishrat Ashraf, Federal Minister Mushahidullah Khan, Amir Muqam, Babusar Faraz Khan Jatoi, Asad Khan Junejo, Irfan Siddiqui, Chaudhry Sher Ali and Senator Asif Kirmani.

Former finance minister Ishaq Dar is also a part of the CEC but will not be attending the meeting owing to his ongoing medical treatment in London.