Nawaz may have blocked Shehbaz’s path to being PM
chances of Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif becoming prime minister seemed to have dimmed over the past few days, with ousted premier Nawaz Sharif reportedly unhappy with his younger brother.
Initial reports had pointed towards Shahid Khaqan Abbasi — who was sworn in as prime minister earlier this week — serving as an interim premier for around 45 days, till Shehbaz could contest Nawaz’s vacated national assembly seat.
However, political analysts say Shehbaz’s decision to nominate his son Hamza Shehbaz as the next chief minister of Punjab may have turned his brother against him — Nawaz was reportedly looking at his daughter Maryam Nawaz or his wife Kulsoom Nawaz to head Punjab.
A report in the influential daily Dawn suggested that a number of PML-N leaders in Punjab believe Nawaz “smartly deprived” his younger brother of an opportunity to become prime minister and at the same time, shattered the dreams of nephew Hamza to take up the reins in Punjab.
Some analysts say Nawaz Sharif is playing family politics, but others insist that it was a purely political decision taken in the interests of the party. Shehbaz is the strongest candidate the party has in Punjab and there are many within the party old guard who have urged Nawaz Sharif to not weaken the PML-N power base.
Foreign minister Khawaja Asif and defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan confirmed that the party wants Shehbaz in Punjab. “Since Shehbaz has good equation with all MPAs in Punjab and all ongoing development projects are on his finger tips, a larger section of the party is of the view that he should continue delivering in Punjab,” Khurram Dastgir told a private TV channel.
However, PML-N is yet to make an announcement about Shehbaz withdrawing from the race for the national assembly seat.
The bigger question, of course, is whether this decision has been taken in the interests of the party or in the interests of Nawaz Sharif. So far, differences between the two brothers have not surfaced but some party leaders have warned that if not done amicably, this decision could cost the party its next election