There is a rift brewing between Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif, currently the president of PML-N, reportedly after the elder sharif disagreed with his younger brother over issuing a show cause notice to an MNA for indirectly levelling against Shahbaz and his supporters.
It is being reported that Shehbaz did not attend two meetings of the party in Lahore, in which Nawaz Sharif was in attendance via video link. Hamza Shehbaz also did not attend these meetings, indicating his support for his father’s stance.
It is believed that the opposition leader in the National Assembly could end his protest if he is given some assurance of action against the offending MNA, Javed Latif.
Party insiders say Shehbaz Sharif was upset over Latif’s comments to a private television channel. He wanted to issue a show-cause notice to Latif for violating the party discipline but was stopped by Nawaz who asked him to wait for some time.
Party insiders say Shehbaz did not challenge his elder brother’s opinion but decided on making a silent protest by not attending party meetings he was supposed to preside over.
Javed Latif, who is close to Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, had told a private news channel that “four to five leaders in the PML-N were on an assignment.”
He claimed that these people had been given the task of diluting the PML-N’s narrative (respect the ballot). “Whenever a campaign against the government reaches a decisive phase, one of them tries to defuse it. These are people who are talking about reconciliation. I don’t want to name them but when seasoned leaders cause damage to the narrative, this is not possible without an assignment (from the establishment),” Latif had said.
He claimed these leaders took assignments from those who did not believe in law and the constitution. “They could recall the fate of Chaudhry Nisar,” Latif had warned.
Party insiders say Shehbaz and his group were outraged by these comments. They said being close to Maryam Nawaz did not mean that Latif had free rein to attack other senior party leaders.
“Latif must be served a show cause and strict action should be taken against him for crossing red lines,” one insider said, suggesting that Latif was instigated by someone in the top of the Nawaz and Maryam camp.
When contacted by newsmen, Malik Ahmad Khan, the new spokesperson for Shehbaz Sharif, said Latif had violated the party discipline.
“The party president has taken a serious notice of Latif’s uncalled for comments and the power to issue a show-cause rests with him,” Khan said.
However, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz urged party workers to ignore “propaganda by the enemy,” saying that Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif “are one.”
“This is a democratic party. Differences of opinion exist. This does not mean that one raises questions pertaining to party leadership,” she said, addressing a gathering of workers belonging to the party’s Bahawalpur division.
“When it comes to the party leadership, everyone agrees with Nawaz Sharif as well as Shahbaz Sharif,” she said.
The gathering was attended by party secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal and senior members Rana Sanaullah and Khurram Dastgir.
It is being reported that Shehbaz did not attend two meetings of the party in Lahore, in which Nawaz Sharif was in attendance via video link. Hamza Shehbaz also did not attend these meetings, indicating his support for his father’s stance.
It is believed that the opposition leader in the National Assembly could end his protest if he is given some assurance of action against the offending MNA, Javed Latif.
Party insiders say Shehbaz Sharif was upset over Latif’s comments to a private television channel. He wanted to issue a show-cause notice to Latif for violating the party discipline but was stopped by Nawaz who asked him to wait for some time.
Party insiders say Shehbaz did not challenge his elder brother’s opinion but decided on making a silent protest by not attending party meetings he was supposed to preside over.
Javed Latif, who is close to Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz, had told a private news channel that “four to five leaders in the PML-N were on an assignment.”
He claimed that these people had been given the task of diluting the PML-N’s narrative (respect the ballot). “Whenever a campaign against the government reaches a decisive phase, one of them tries to defuse it. These are people who are talking about reconciliation. I don’t want to name them but when seasoned leaders cause damage to the narrative, this is not possible without an assignment (from the establishment),” Latif had said.
He claimed these leaders took assignments from those who did not believe in law and the constitution. “They could recall the fate of Chaudhry Nisar,” Latif had warned.
Party insiders say Shehbaz and his group were outraged by these comments. They said being close to Maryam Nawaz did not mean that Latif had free rein to attack other senior party leaders.
“Latif must be served a show cause and strict action should be taken against him for crossing red lines,” one insider said, suggesting that Latif was instigated by someone in the top of the Nawaz and Maryam camp.
When contacted by newsmen, Malik Ahmad Khan, the new spokesperson for Shehbaz Sharif, said Latif had violated the party discipline.
“The party president has taken a serious notice of Latif’s uncalled for comments and the power to issue a show-cause rests with him,” Khan said.
However, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz urged party workers to ignore “propaganda by the enemy,” saying that Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif “are one.”
“This is a democratic party. Differences of opinion exist. This does not mean that one raises questions pertaining to party leadership,” she said, addressing a gathering of workers belonging to the party’s Bahawalpur division.
“When it comes to the party leadership, everyone agrees with Nawaz Sharif as well as Shahbaz Sharif,” she said.
The gathering was attended by party secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal and senior members Rana Sanaullah and Khurram Dastgir.