PML-N nominates Shehbaz as PM candidate

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday unanimously nominated Shehbaz Sharif as its candidate for the prime minister, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed.

PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the party's central executive committee in Lahore on Monday, which deliberated upon strategy to form government in the centre and Punjab.

The meeting had senior party leaders in attendance, who were consulted over the results of General Election 2018.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Aurangzeb said the PML-N would continue to struggle together with other political parties, adding that they had directed concerned individuals to prepare 'white papers' with regard to the recently-held polls in the country.

The PML-N spokesperson said that a protest would be staged outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office in Islamabad on August 8, which would be participated in by all ticket-holders of the party.

She further said the meeting decided to continue its legal struggle against National Accountability Bureau's decisions, and denounced the verdict against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain (retd) Safdar.

Taking exception to Imran Khan, Aurangzeb said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman first boasted of opening the ballot boxes, but took a U-turn once again.

She said the PML-N would try to excel in the numbers game in Punjab, adding, "We would not buy independent candidates like Tehreek-e-Insaf."

Meanwhile, the spokesman for PML-N Punjab chapter Malik Mohammad Ahmed said his party would play the role of a strong opposition in Punjab.

He said that only Hamza Shehbaz could be the opposition leader or the chief minister of province.

Earlier this month, party leader Rana Sanaullah said PML-N needs only 18 MPA-elects to form the government in Punjab — the province that PML-N has ruled for ten consecutive years. 

“We have won 130 seats and need an additional 18 MPA-elects. With the Pakistan Peoples Party's six elected MPAs and 13 independents we will have the numbers to form the government,” Sanaullah claimed.

PML-N’s rival political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also claims having enough members to form government in Punjab. PTI leader Jahangir Tareen has claimed that the party has the support of 18 independents. 

The party also claims that with these independents, its own MPA-elects and seven from the PML-Q, its strength in the Punjab Assembly stands at 148 members.