The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party nominated ousted premier Nawaz Sharif as its leader on Monday, a government minister said, hours before it used its parliamentary majority to amend a law to allow him to be re-elected party chief.
Sharif had to step down as the head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz after the apex court in its 28 July verdict disqualified him in the Panama Papers scandal.
The former premier's way to the presidency of his party was paved amid much uproar when during a 22 September session of Upper House of the Parliament (Senate), an amendment in the Election Bill 2017 was okayed by a single vote allowing a disqualified legislator to head a political party, Dawn online reported.
The amendment bill was presented by law minister Zahid Hamid and passed by lower house with a majority.
"We feel very strongly Nawaz Sharif has to lead our party. He's the symbol of unity in our party," said Rana Afzal Khan, a PML-N lawmaker.
After getting clearance from both the houses, the bill would go to President Mamnoon Hussain's desk for endorsement, thus making it a law.
The PML-N will hold a general council meeting of the party on 2 October to amend the party constitution that also barred a disqualified person from holding any party office, said Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan.
Before the General Council, a meeting of PML-N central working committee (CWC) will be held. The second session will be held on 3 October to elect a new party president, added Khan.
Khan, who is also PML-N's central information secretary, said that "all legal hurdles in the way of Sharif re-assuming his role as party chief would be removed by 3 October".
The third-time ousted premier had to relinquish the top slot of the party after the Supreme Court disqualified him from office for concealing employment with a UAE-based firm owned by his younger son Hassan.
Khan added that in the meantime, Sharif would continue to appear before court(s) in the National Accountability Bureau references. A NAB court has summoned the former Prime Minister on 2 October to indict him in three graft cases.
(With inputs from IANS and Reuters)
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