ON 18 May 2024, Lifetime Quaid and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif addressed the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Lahore, delivering a thought-provoking speech that resonated with party workers and leaders. Nawaz Sharif’s address came after a tumultuous period in Pakistan’s political history, marked by his ouster from the premiership, and long absence due to his jail arrest and treatment process in the UK. He and his family, as well as senior party leaders, faced fabricated cases, NAB investigations, and imprisonment. In his speech, Nawaz Sharif recounted the challenges he faced, from being deposed as Prime Minister to his prolonged illness and eventual treatment in London. He expressed gratitude to party workers and leaders for their unwavering support, acknowledging their sacrifices and commitment to the party’s cause.
The CWC meeting was attended by a large number of senior Muslim League leaders, including current Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Federal and Provincial Ministers, Special Assistants, Members National Assembly, Senate and Provincial Assemblies, the four provincial, federal Capital, Azad Jammu Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, overseas Muslim League-N’s presidents, general secretaries of youth, women, lawyers forum and other wings, former governors Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chaudhry Mohammad Birjees Tahir, Former Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, Hafiz ur Rehman (GB) Former Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider AJK, Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Iqbal, Shah Ghulam, former speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir, including ministerial advisers, and around one hundred and fifty Muslim League prominent workers across the country.
Outgoing President PMLN and Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, gave the opening speech and provided a brief outline of the past situation since 1990, under which conditions he assumed the presidency of the Muslim League-N and he kept taking all the guidance and instructions from the leader of the party, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, and himself. According to him, Alhamdulillah Nawaz Sharif acquitted honourably from all baselessly and frivolously concocted cases, he submitted his resignation to hand over this trust back to him. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was requested by the Central Working Committee to accept his resignation and serve as Acting President until Nawaz Sharif was elected as President, which he accepted.
As Ahsan Iqbal called upon Mian Nawaz Sharif to address the audience, the room erupted in sustained applause, a testament to Sharif’s enduring leadership and the unwavering support of Jaan Nisar workers. Despite facing health challenges, respected leaders such as Raja Muhammad Zafar Ul Haq, Siddiq Al-Farooq and former Senator Saleem Zia made a remarkable presence, showcasing their profound dedication. Iqbal lauded Sharif’s transformative impact on the Pakistan Muslim League-N, spanning from Karachi to Khyber, and his unwavering commitment to democracy. Sharif’s leadership, emblematic of resilience and unity, continues to shape the nation’s political landscape, fostering consensus and progress.
As Nawaz Sharif approached the podium to deliver his speech, the audience rose in a thunderous standing ovation, embracing him with sincere affection. With heartfelt greetings, he expressed profound satisfaction at the unity and dedication displayed by party members, declaring himself the cornerstone of the party’s strength. Sharif highlighted the significance of the diverse senior leadership present, representing unity across regions. Despite the challenges endured by detainees, he extended gratitude for their unwavering support and pledged unwavering allegiance to the party through adversity.
—The writer is a Supreme Court lawyer and former Chairman Standing Committee of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council. Islamabad
