PML-N demands Shehbaz Sharif’s return from London

The PML-N leadership on Tuesday demanded the return of party president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif from London, where he has been since November 2019.

The demand was made by Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha during a meeting of PML-N’s parliamentary party and was backed by the leadership. Shehbaz had left for London last year, along with PML-N supremo and his older brother Nawaz Sharif, who was seeking medical treatment.

In the meeting today, Senator Pir Sabir Shah complained that the party had “suffered damage by putting behind the stance of the supremo (Nawaz Sharif)”.

He said that PML-N should have “taken advantage of PTI’s poor performance”, adding that the party’s performance in the parliament had disappointed the people. He went on to warn that if the party did not stick to Nawaz’s stance, it would lose the support of the masses. Shah criticised that only leaders from Punjab were included in PML-N’s decision-making. He demanded that the party should give representation to leaders from provinces other than Punjab in its decisionmaking process “even if it is only symbolic”. PML-N leader Javed Latif also spoke during the meeting and said that the party leadership should consult more members before making decisions. He insisted that the party should take practical steps as “targets cannot be achieved by talking”. He urged the party leadership to “move forward and prepare the party for protest”.

Latif also predicted that the party will have to face tough criticism as it had “made a mistake which would be realised in times to come”. He did not specify the “mistake” he was referring to.

PML-N condemns govt policies

In a press release regarding the issues discussed during the meeting, PML-N criticised the government policies, saying that the alarming loss at the Pakistan Stock Exchange in one day was a first in history and “sounded an alarm for economic disaster”. The party also condemned the attack on Nawaz’s physician Dr Adnan Khan and hoped that London police will provide justice. The party agreed that Nawaz should stay in London until he gets better.

The press statement, however, made no mention of the leadership’s demand that Shehbaz should return to Pakistan.