The prime minister appeared unfazed by the swirling rumours about Nawaz's return, telling journalists on Thursday, “When he [Nawaz] had gone to Saudi Arabia, we used to hear that he was [either] coming today or tomorrow.”
“He [Nawaz Sharif] had also returned to the country from Saudi Arabia [in 2007] under a deal,” the premier said.
Prime Minister Khan maintained that his government was doing well and faced no threat from opposition parties, remarking on the leader of the Opposition the National Assembly Shebaz Shaif, “[A] speech of Shehbaz Sharif is like his job application.”
“The government is not in trouble,” he asserted.
Chatter of the former premier's imminent return has taken hold in Islamabad this week, ever since statements from PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq hinted at a possible homecoming. PML-N has denied that Sharif will return to Pakistan anytime soon.
On Thursday, the prime minister also chaired a meeting of the PTI’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), the newly created 21-member committee to amend the party’s constitution. Following disastrous local body election results in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister had vowed to reshuffle the party’s organizational structure.
At the meeting, the CEC confirmed that the party will hold elections in 2022 under the amended 2015 constitution. Polls will be reorganized after the party makes minimal changes to its constitution