In an interview with Breaking Point with Malick, PML-N senior leader Khawaja Asif revealed Maryam Nawaz’s future as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. According to Khawaja Asif, if Maryam Nawaz does not win elections in 2023, then she will win in 2028.
He said this while talking about PML-N’s current leadership as news spreads of the party facing dissent among its leaders i.e. Shahbaz Sharif, and Maryam Nawaz.
Khawaja Asif also talked about PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his future as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. As per Khawaja Asif, currently serving as the fourth PM of Pakistan is not in the pipelines for Nawaz Sharif.
“I am a witness to it, Mian Sahib has no personal ambition of being the PM for the fourth tenure,” Khawaja Asif said.
“If Maryam has the ambition, then we should definitely accept it,” he further added.
Read more: Long shadows of Nawaz Sharif
On this note, anchorperson Malick asked whether Nawaz Sharif officially passed the party leadership to Maryam Nawaz or not.
In response, Khawaja Asif stated that anything can happen. Nawaz Sharif is disqualified now; however, in 2023 he may not be disqualified anymore, enabling him to take part in the 2023 elections. Pertinent to note, back in 2018, Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif as head of PML-N.
Interesting to note, with this statement, Khawaja Asif appears to be contradicting his earlier statements on how Nawaz Sharif does not wish to serve as the PM of Pakistan for the fourth time.
“Should that happen, Maryam Nawaz has 2028 elections, if not 2023,” Khawaja Asif maintained.
Read more: Maryam Nawaz sidelined, Shehbaz Sharif leads PML-N for PDM rally?
Maryam Nawaz is the supreme leader of PML-N?
With Maryam Nawaz eyeing the PM post, Khawaja Asif also denied the allegations that PML-N leadership only runs in the family. He stated that the biggest example contradicting this accusation is Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
“Nawaz Sharif could have handed over the power to Shahbaz Sharif, but he opted for Shahid Abbasi,” Khawaja Asif said.
To this, anchorperson Malick questioned Maryam Nawaz’s seating arrangement in PML-N’s recent meetings. He said Maryam Nawaz, who is supposedly the “Vice-President” of PML-N sits at the center, a place officially meant for the head. For Malick, seating is important as it portrays who is the real leader of the party.
مسلم لیگ ن پنجاب کے زیر اہتمام ساہیوال ڈویژن کی میٹینگ قائد مسلم لیگ میاں محمد نواز شریف کی زیر صدارت شروع pic.twitter.com/0SCm39v57x
— PMLN (@pmln_org) September 27, 2021
Malick also claimed that PML-N is a “fascist party” with Maryam Nawaz calling the shots.
Khawaja Asif however on the other hand dismissed the seating arrangements. In the end, he maintained that Mian Nawaz Sharif will decide who will be the candidate from PML-N for the next elections.