Daily Times

Days after being awarded the party’s top ranks, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice-President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz has defended the dynastic politics and came down hard on those censuring her recent promotion.

“A lot of people are furious over dynastic [politics]. The nation’s love is not called a dynasty, it is a democracy,” she said while addressing a charged crowd of supporters during the PML-N workers’ convention in Punjab’s Bahawalpur city on Wednesday.

The PML-N stalwart’s remarks on “dynastic politics” came following party leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s resignation from the senior vice-president post earlier in the day. The development was confirmed by Mohammad Zubair, spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif. “He [Abbasi] is a big leader and quitting the post will have no effect on him,” Zubair, who also served as Sindh governor, told the media.

Sources privy to the matter said Abbasi decided to step down after Maryam was elevated as the party’s chief organiser and senior vice-president by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the party’s president.

Speaking on her newly-designated positions in the party, the PML-N vice-president said that the party titles have recently been given and she “cherishes her supporters’ love more than the designations” granted to her. “A lot is being said about my position [in the party]. I am standing by you without the position and you stood by me too. I salute the people of Bahawalpur for supporting us during our testing times,” she said, deeming her supporters as her biggest strength after Allah.

PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday confirmed that he had resigned as the party’s senior vice president in an effort to give Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz an “open field”.

Addressing the matter during an appearance on a private television, Abbasi confirmed that he had sent his resignation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif when Maryam was appointed, adding that he had expected the party to announce the development.

He said that the “basic principle” behind the move was that Maryam should be provided with an “open field” as she assumed the new responsibilities.

Giving the example of former premier Benazir Bhutto, Abbasi said that her first stint in power suffered due to conflicts with her father’s contemporaries. He said that during Benazir’s second term, there were “newer people” around which allowed her to move forward. “That is why I think it appropriate that Maryam should get an open field and my being there was not appropriate for her or for me,” he said, adding that his presence as the senior vice president “would’ve been an obstacle ” for her. Abbasi further said that he had not discussed the matter with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and had sent his resignation to PM Shehbaz, the party’s president. “Resignations are a normal matter so I don’t give them much importance.” He also rebuffed a question about leaving the PML-N, saying: “No one leaves the party, it is a very big decision.”