Shahid Khaqan ‘quits’ PML-N post after Maryam Nawaz’s promotion

Shahid Khaqan ‘quits’ PML-N post after Maryam Nawaz’s promotion. Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has resigned from the post of senior vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Sources privy to the matter said that Abbasi decided to step down after Maryam Nawaz was elevated as the party’s chief organiser and senior vice president by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also PML-N president.

The former premier was unhappy with the decision taken without consulting other party members, revealed the sources, adding Abbasi tendered his resignation the next day after her appointment.

Earlier this month, Maryam was promoted as the PML-N’s senior vice-president and was also asked to reshuffle the party for the better.

Read more: PM Shehbaz calls for unity as KP mosque toll hits 100

She was also authorised to reorganise the party at all functional tiers/levels as “chief organiser”.

The appointment makes Maryam the third most powerful figure in the party after her father, Nawaz Sharif, and her uncle Shehbaz Sharif, who is the sitting prime minister.

“Maryam Nawaz is appointed senior vice president and in this situation, there’s no reason for me to work as party’s SVP,” sources quoted Abbasi as telling the party leadership.

When approached, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi denied giving any statement to the media regarding his resignation.

Maryam’s promotion ‘upsets’ PML-N leaders

However, her promotion to the office of senior vice-president and chief organiser of the party did not go down well with the PML-N stalwarts, sources informed media.

According to sources, a number of senior second-tier PML-N leaders are upset with the appointment, terming lack of consultation as one of the main reasons kicking up discontent over the elevation.

A senior PML-N leader told media, on condition of anonymity that “this decision is undemocratic and is aimed at furthering the Sharifs’ political dynasty”. He revealed that hardly any senior leader outside the Sharif family was consulted before making the decision.

Senior PML-N leaders such as Khawaja Asif, Tanvir Hussain, Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Raja Zafarul Haq, are under Maryam in the party hierarchy. Before the decision, Abbasi was the only senior vice president of the party, with over a dozen vice presidents, including Maryam.

Another party leader, who spoke to media on the condition of anonymity, bemoaned the decision saying: “Only the Sharif family or those close to them have the first right to hold every key party or government position”.