Asif Kirmani becomes latest PML-N leader to part ways with Nawaz Sharif

ISLAMABAD: Dr Syed Asif Kirmani, the former political secretary of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, on Saturday announced quitting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) after criticising the top leadership of the ruling party.

Kirmani, in a surprise statement today, said that he has distanced himself from the political affairs of the Nawaz-led party for a long time.

Censuring the PML-N government, the politico said the people were "dying of [inflated] power bills and inflation" while  a group of leaders were cheering the rulers on their "ineffective governance".

“Nawaz Sharif Sahib! All is not well.”

However, he did not give a clue about joining another party. Kirmani added that he will soon issue a detailed statement about his decision to quit the party.

Kirmani was appointed by former prime minister Nawaz as his political secretary during his rule in 2013. He was considered a close associate of the ex-premier and played an active role during the PML-N’s election campaign before the party rose to power in 2013.

Kirmani became the latest PML-N leader who quit the party over differences with the top party leadership's style of politics and its decision to form the government following the February 8 elections despite rigging allegations. 

Lately, Abbas Khan Afridi parted ways with the ruling party last month claiming that the party’s president Nawaz “no longer relevant in the country’s politics”.

Similarly, PML-N leader and ex-Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail have also parted ways with the ruling party in recent months. 

Abbasi and Ismail had launched a new political party, Awaam Pakistan, earlier this month which was joined by several former PML-N leaders including Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Javed Abbasi, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Rana Zahid Tauseef, Zahid Binnouri, and Sardar Anwar Soomro.