Hamza removed, Pervaiz Malik made election campaign in-charge

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has removed his nephew Hamza Shahbaz from the election campaign for his wife Kalsoom Nawaz in NA-120 Lahore by-polls and appointed Commerce Minister Pervaiz Malik as the in-charge.

However, a PML-N spokesman rejected rumours about differences in the Sharif family and said Pervaiz Malik had been assigned the task as he was elected as an MNA from the constituency and he was president of the PML-N Lahore. He said Hamza Shahbaz was playing an active role in the electioneering and had been part of all consultations in this regard.

A private TV channel claimed on Saturday that the bye-election campaign for NA-120 seat was to be run by Hamza Shahbaz, but Nawaz Sharif removed him from the process. Sources said ousted premier had called Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz and Pervaiz Malik to his Jati Umra residence a few days back and appointed Mr Malik as the campaign in-charge.

However, the party spokesman said that differences in the Sharif family could be an inordinate desire of the opponents, which would never be fulfilled.

The statement said that being president of PML-N Lahore, Commerce Minister Pervaiz Malik had been assigned the responsibility.

"Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz will work shoulder-to-shoulder with Pervaiz Malik during the campaign of by-election," the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of disqualified premier, refuted the news of any differences between the Sharif family over the NA-120 election campaign.

She tweeted the photo of Hamza Shahbaz and Pervaiz Malik together chairing the meeting. She said those wishing differences in the Sharif family would bite the dust.

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said about the controversy that Hamza Shahbaz himself had given the name of Pervaiz Malik as in-charge of the campaign for NA-120 bye-elections.