The Hindu : Nawaz Sharif's brother elected party chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 04, 2002

International

International

Nawaz Sharif's brother elected party chief

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Aug. 3.

Shahbaz Sharif, brother and former Chief Minister of Punjab, was today 'elected' as the new President of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) after the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, expressed his inability to continue as party chief in view of the new rules framed by the Musharraf regime. Decision of Mr. Sharif to step down is a major setback to the former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto, who has decided to defy the new law enacted by the military Government and contest it in a court of law.

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led by Ms. Bhutto and the MQM led by Altaf Hussain could be denied the party symbols for the October polls by the Pakistan Election Commission as under the new rules convicted persons cannot remain as party office bearers. Both Mrs. Bhutto and Mr. Hussain, who are convicted in various cases and live in exile, had been re-elected by their parties despite new rules.

The decision of PML to replace the former Prime Minister as head of the party with his younger brother is seen as some kind of a 'deal' between the Musharraf Government and the Muslim League to 'isolate' Ms. Bhutto.

On Friday the Working Committee of PML had reposed 'faith' in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and asked him to remain as the party chief. However, the resolution appears to be no more than a 'red-herring'. Senior PML leader, Raza Zafarul Haq, told correspondents here today that the party decided to obey the orders of the former Prime Minister and install his younger brother as the new chief. 'Mr. Nawaz Sharif called up from Saudi Arabia yesterday evening and expressed his inability to continue as the President in view of the legal difficulties that could arise on account of the new law. He suggested the name of Shahbaz Sharif and we unanimously agreed on his name'', Mr. Haq said.

The Pakistan Election Commission had directed all the parties to complete internal elections before August 5 as per the new rules framed by the military government if they intended to stay in the fray for the October election. After the developments in PML, it would be difficult for PPP and MQM to fight the October elections.

The new rules bar convicted persons from holding a party post. Ms. Bhutto is convicted by a court of law in absentia in a corruption case and she has also been declared a proclaimed offender. The PPP however has sought to argue that her election was very much within the framework of the new law.

Mr. Sharif, who went to Saudi Arabia along with his entire clan after an agreement with the Musharraf regime in December 2000, in recent days has been sending signals to his confidants in the party that he has no intention at the moment to return to Pakistan. Implied in the signal is the suggestion that he does not want to confront the military government at the current juncture.

As part of the deal the Musharraf Government had exonerated Mr. Sharif of his jail term in the case involving the hijack of the aircraft on October 12, 1999 in which the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Musharraf, was returning back to Pakistan from Colombo. It was the decision of Mr. Sharif to sack Gen. Musharraf and attempt to prevent the plane from landing in Karachi that led to the bloodless military coup.

In a related development the factional group of the League, which is known as PML (Quaid-e-Azam), has re-elected Mian Mohammad Azar as party chief. The election witnessed a bitter fight with Ijazul Haq, the party leader and son of former military dictator, Zia-ul-Haq, challenging the supremacy Mr. Azar. He had questioned the electoral list and threatened to take the matter to court.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

U.S. dismisses Baghdad's offer

Release names of detainees, says U.S. judge

Britain on health alert amid fears of epidemic

U.S. offers Manila aid to fight Abu Sayyaf

Demand for Islamic law

India, Pak. must resume talks, says French Minister

Indian bid along LoC foiled: Pak.

The 'Indian hot list' in Britain

Chen calls for referendum

Rights groups apologise for 1971 excesses

Bush to meet Jiang

Nawaz Sharif's brother elected party chief