Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif sparks controversy as he chairs Punjab government meetings

Lahore, March 19

Nawaz Sharif, the supreme leader of the PML-N, who has stayed away from public view since last month’s general elections, has made a conspicuous appearance by chairing three administrative meetings of the Punjab government, raising many eyebrows as he does not hold any official position in either the provincial or federal government.

The three-time former premier on Monday chaired administrative meetings of the Punjab government led by his daughter Maryam Nawaz, the Dawn newspaper reported.

An official handout issued after the meeting said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party supremo issued directions to ministers and officials regarding different infrastructure projects, including the underground train and metro bus, farmers’ plight, electric bikes for students and Ramzan relief package.

But the 74-year-old veteran leader chairing the meetings raised many questions since he holds no official position in either the provincial or federal government and is officially only a National Assembly member.

Sharif was set to become Pakistan’s premier for a record fourth time in last month’s general elections, but his party failed to get enough seats in the National Assembly to form a government on its own.

Independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the maximum number of seats.

However, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, who is considered a favourite of the military establishment, managed to form a coalition federal government with the help of five other parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party led by ex-foreign minister Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto.

Since then, he has been away from the public eye. Maryam Nawaz, 50, is the first woman chief minister in Pakistan’s history. She is considered to be the political heir of Nawaz Sharif.