ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The ruling Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to appoint the former Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the interim prime minister for 45 days.
The decision was taken in a consultative meeting of the PML-N held in Islamabad on Saturday which also backed the nomination of Shahbaz Sharif as the successor of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the remaining tenure.
The meeting discussed the situation arising out of the Supreme Court verdict in Panama Papers Case which caused the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister.
Later, the PML-N Parliamentary Leaders meeting held to discuss the future course of action also endorsed both the decisions.
Meanwhile while addressing the Parliamentary Party meeting, the ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that heavy presence of party leaders is negation of the party’s disintegration propaganda.
Nawaz Sharif said that he is proud that he wasn’t disqualified on corruption charges. “My party should be proud of its spotless leadership,” he added.
The former prime minister said that he regularly pays tax on his assets, and he is a man of principles. “I never compromised on my ideology,” Nawaz Sharif said.
Talking about his disqualification from the Supreme Court, Nawaz Sharif said that he didn’t receive any salary from UAE-based FZE Capital while declaration wasn’t necessary.
The ruling party had to nominate an interim prime minister as Shahbaz Sharif was not eligible for the Premiership since he wasn’t the member of Lower House.
Shahbaz Sharif will have to relinquish his Post as the Punjab Chief Minister and Contest the by-election for national assembly seat. But till the time Shahbaz becomes a lawmaker in the Center, Khaqan Abbasi will assume of Office of Prime Minister for 45 days.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is expected to announce the schedule of by-election for Lahore’s NA-120 Constituency, left vacant following Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification. The by-election on NA-120 would be held in the second week of September.
Nawaz Sharif won his seat from NA-120 in the 2013 general election by securing 91,683 votes against 52,354 votes of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Yasmeen Rashid.
