ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: In an unprecedented move, the disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was re-elected unopposed for next four years on Tuesday as the President of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) which had earlier succeeded to get the controversial ‘The Election Bill 2017’ passed from both the Houses.
In this regard, the announcement was made by PML-N’s Chief Election Commissioner Chaudhary Jaffer Iqbal at Convention Center in Islamabad where PML-N General Council meeting took place.
No other person had filed nomination papers to contest PML-N presidential election against Nawaz Sharif whose nomination paper was submitted by the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
Besides a large number of PML-N workers, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Members of Parliament and Cabinet members were also present in the session.
Meanwhile, PML-N workers raised slogans in favor of Nawaz Sharif, and lauded his services for Country’s development and supremacy of the Constitution.
Earlier on Monday, the PML-N’s Central General Council unanimously approved the amendments in the party’s Constitution while the National Assembly passed “The Election Bill 2017” with majority, paving the way for Nawaz Sharif to head the party again.
‘The Election Bill 2017’ provides that every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a member of a political party or be otherwise associated with a political party or take part in political activities or be elected as an office-bearer of a political party.
The former prime minister had relinquished the presidency of PML-N following his disqualification in Panama Papers Case by the Supreme Court on July 28 as he was no longer eligible to lead a political party under the law.
But last week, PML-N successfully crossed its first and the most difficult obstacle in the way of Nawaz Sharif to head the party again when it narrowly won the support of majority of Senators to pass the ‘The Election Bill 2017’.