ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided to start a mass contact movement and give a tough time to the government if the accountability court sentences former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Flagship and Al-Azizia corruption references against him.
Nawaz and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif chaired a party meeting at the Parliament House on Thursday during which court’s verdict – which will be announced on December 24 – and the current political situation of the country were discussed.
Raja Zafarul Haq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Hamza Shehbaz were among senior party leaders who attended the meeting.
“The meeting decided that the PML-N’s advisory board would look over party’s matters if Nawaz is arrested. The advisory board will include prominent party MNAs and senators,” sources said.
Further, it was decided that there would be “no compromise on civilian supremacy”. “The party would adopt a tough stance inside and outside parliament and even start a mass contact movement from party’s workers convention on December 30,” the sources continued.
“Shehbaz after consultations will forward names of advisory board members to Nawaz for approval, which will be finalised by tomorrow,” sources said.
Moreover, sources said that Nawaz directed that party membership structure should be completed by March 23 and urged party members to stay in contact with the nation.
“Nawaz also directed that the party should be active on social media and formed a committee under the chairmanship of Marriyum Aurangzeb, which will contact the media and respond to the government’s propaganda on social media,” the sources said.
Addressing the meeting, Nawaz said: “I used politics as a source of service not corruption. My family and I have previously faced accountability and were successful.”
He continued: “The nation knows the reasons behind the cases against us. All cases against us are based on assumptions and I leave my decision on God and the people,” he added.
Ahead of the party meeting, Nawaz and Shehbaz had a one-on-one meeting during which accountability court’s verdicts in the remaining two corruption references against Nawaz and other matters were discussed.
“The brothers agreed to start a mass contact movement if the verdict is against Nawaz and to remain silent if the court’s decision is in their favour,” the sources said regarding the one-on-one meeting.
An accountability court on Wednesday reserved its verdict in the remaining two corruption references against former premier Nawaz Sharif.
The court will announce its verdict in Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia references against the Sharif family on December 24.
Published in Daily Times, December 21st 2018.
