Nawaz Sharif, the three-time former prime minister, is poised to reclaim the presidency of his political party, PML-N, after a seven-year hiatus following his disqualification from holding public office by the apex court, the party revealed on Friday.
A prominent leader within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) informed PTI that Nawaz, aged 74, is scheduled to be elected as the president of the ruling party on May 11 during a gathering of the party's leadership.
In 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Nawaz from the premiership and party presidency over allegations of corruption stemming from the Panama Papers scandal, which exposed his purported illicit wealth held abroad.
Rana Sanaullah, the PML-N Punjab president, announced during a press conference that the decision to reinstate Nawaz Sharif as the party's president had been made at a party meeting.
"At today's party meeting, a resolution was passed to reinstate Nawaz Sharif as the president of PML-N to rectify the injustice inflicted upon him in 2017 by the Supreme Court," stated Sanaullah.
Upon Nawaz's return from his private visit to China, the party intends to formally extend the offer of the party president's office to him.
Currently, Nawaz is in China for a five-day private visit.
"Nawaz Sharif was ousted from the party presidency as a result of a conspiracy. Now that Nawaz has been acquitted in all corruption cases, it is fitting for him to resume leadership of the party," emphasized Sanaullah, adding that the party will undergo a restructuring under Nawaz's guidance.
After his return to Pakistan following a four-year self-imposed exile in London last October, Nawaz Sharif was absolved of major corruption charges, reportedly with the tacit approval of the influential military establishment.
He was on the brink of assuming the premiership for the fourth time, but his party fell short of securing a clear majority in the National Assembly in the February 8 general elections.
Subsequently, Nawaz deferred to his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, the incumbent party president—who is perceived as favored by the military establishment—to lead a coalition government comprising six parties at the federal level.
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