Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday to discuss the current political situation of the country. Political commentators and sources close to the ruling party claim that a consensus had been reached between the Sharifs for announcing Shehbaz Sharif’s name as the interim president of the party. Earlier on February 22, senior PML-N leaders at a high-level meeting held at Punjab House had reportedly recommended making Shehbaz the president as he was a non-controversial figure and was also influential in the party. The approval for making Shehbaz the interim head of the party is likely to be given at a meeting of the PML-N central executive committee on February 27 (tomorrow). Sources have further said that the PML-N will later hold intra-party elections to formally elect Shehbaz as the party president. In a statement after the meeting, the Punjab CM lashed out at the PTI chairman, saying that the faces of those levelling baseless allegations against the PML-N governments in centre and Punjab now stood exposed. “Niazi is the captain of liars,” remarked Shehbaz Sharif, adding that PTI led government in KP had displayed the worst kind of performance during its term in power. He slammed the PTI chairman, saying that he had promoted the culture of abusive language and indecency in the country’s politics. He further said that any sane person will not give a vote to those doing negative politics in the next elections. Meanwhile on Sunday, an MNA of the ruling party from Gujranwala announced that he was leaving the party alongwith several union council chairmen. He did not state any reason or reveal his future plans. The party presidency is considered key to holding the organisation together since many of the PML-N lawmakers had joined it only when chances of its success in the 2013 election, and of its government formation after the election, were obvious. These lawmakers are expected to stay with the party only if the latter can present itself as a united and a viable option ahead of the 2018 election. There were some reports over the weekend that suggested that Kulsoom Nawaz’s name was also under consideration for the post of the president. The apex court of Pakistan had announced its verdict on petitions challenging the Elections Act 2017, ruling that a person disqualified under Article 62 and 63 cannot serve as the head of a political party. The decision by the three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar is considered a blow specifically to the ruling PML-N as Nawaz Sharif no longer remains the party’s president. As a result of the verdict, all decisions taken by Nawaz Sharif as PML-N’s president stand null and void. Published in Daily Times, February 26th 2018.