PML-N meets today to discuss future strategy, party reorganisation

LAHORE: To decide its future political strategy, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has called a meeting for Monday (today) to discuss the party reorganisation and starting new membership.

Party sources said the meeting would also discuss overall political situation in the country, especially the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) future moves without participation of its two important components, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party (ANP).

On Sunday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reportedly torn apart the PDM notice at the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting. The PML-N sources said some of the PML-N party leaders said that PPP’s chairman attitude on Sunday showed that his party had decided to part ways with the PDM, while many were of the view that it was just a stunt and the PPP could not afford quitting the PDM at this stage.

Party sources said the PML-N was gearing up for the next general elections as toppling of the government at this stage was not in its interest. The only option suited to the PML-N was new elections, added the sources.

Recently, the PML-N started the party restructuring across the country especially in Punjab and in Monday’s meeting, the party would discuss and announce the final results of the restructuring.

Sources said the PML-N would present new membership form in Monday’s meeting for approval. PML-N Punjab spokesperson Azma Bukhari said that the meeting would be held at Model Town party secretariat. PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan and General Secretary Sardar Owais Leghari would chair the meeting after which they would inaugurate the first website of the PML-N Punjab, she said.

Talking to the scribe, she said the PML-N had finalised nomination of 17,000 office-bearers across the Punjab. She said all vacant seats at tehsil, district and division level had been filled now.

About the website, she said the PML-N Punjab website would reflect its daily activities across the Punjab. She claimed that the PDM was intact and in case the PPP or the ANP part ways with it, they would have to suffer loss, and it would not affect the PDM.

PML-N leader and former information minister Marriyum Aurengzeb said the PML-N wanted new elections, but after a commitment by all stakeholders that they would not violate their constitutional role.

About new membership, she said it was a continuous process to reorganise and strengthen the party. Answering a question that if the PML-N could make a coalition government with the PPP or with other PDM parties excluding PPP in future, Ms Aurengzeb said coalitions were only possible after new elections. “The nature of any coalition government was dependent on the numbers in the Assembly,” she added. About Bilawal Bhutto tearing apart the PDM notice, she said it was not a PML-N issue and the PDM could only respond after they receive a reply.