Major shuffle in PMLN likely

LAHORE: A major shuffle is expected within the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) as Khawaja Saad Rafique is likely to become its next secretary general, sources told Geo News on Saturday.

According to the sources, the proposal to make Rafique the new secretary general will be presented during the party’s general council meeting where the final decision on the matter is also expected to be taken.

If things go as planned, the politician will take over the post from federal minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Iqbal, who is currently leading the Ministry of Planning and Development, had requested the party leadership to relieve him of his secretary general duties when the party was in power under the banner of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from April 2022 to August 2023, the sources added.

Speaking with Geo News, Iqbal said: “I told the party leadership years ago that I want to leave the post.” He added that it was difficult to run the party office properly due to his busy schedule as minister.

As per the sources, the PML-N’s general council meeting will be held on May 11 in Lahore during which Nawaz Sharif is likely to be made the party’s president.

The reports regarding Rafique’s position in the party comes a week after PMLN Punjab chapter President Rana Sanaullah announced that Nawaz would retake the ruling party’s driving seat.

The development was significant as the PMLN supremo got a “clean chit” from the courts and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in multiple cases lodged against him.