LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has been tipped to succeed him as leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's three-times premier, was barred from public office by the Supreme Court in July 2017. With his political future hanging in balance, political pundits have tipped his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, to succeed him as party leader.
The Supreme Court ruled that Nawaz Sharif had been “dishonest” in not disclosing his earnings from a Dubai-based company in his nomination papers for the 2013 general election. As a result of the ruling, Mr Sharif not only lost his position as prime
minister, but also as leader of the party.
Soon after the verdict, political pundits were reporting that PML-N was in trouble as there was no clear successor. Sharif's two sons, Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz, have shown no interest in politics, but daughter Maryam Nawaz has been politically active.
But the idea of her inheriting office has some prominent opponents, among them Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, who when he was minister for interior, spoke out against her ‘political heirship’. He is on record as having said: “Kids are kids and kids are apolitical. Maryam is a daughter, not political leader”, in a televised interview.
Another parliamentarian, Riaz Pirzada, suggested Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab province, should be put in charge, but this suggestion has not won party backing.
With large numbers of PML-N leaders and workers faithful to the Sharif family, and not allied to another potential leader, Maryam Nawaz has been seen as the only choice for Sharif loyalists.
“Since Shahbaz Sharif is the Chief Minister of the Punjab, Maryam Nawaz remains the only choice to lead the party at national level,” said Pervaiz Aslam, an old party worker.
Against her is the fact that she has no experience of parliamentary politics — she has never belonged to any elected body such as senate, national or provincial assembly.
However, her supporters urge that she has led the prime minister’s youth program and worked with a large number of legislators.
She led the successful campaign for the election of her mother Kulsoom Nawaz to her father's Lahore seat after he was disqualified from office.
Maryam Nawaz, 44, was made chair of the family philanthropic trust, the Sharif Trust, in 1997. The mother of three joined her father’s political party in 2011 becoming chair of the Prime Minister Youth Programme in 2013. The BBC has listed her as one of the 100 most influential women in the world.
In 2012, Newsweek Pakistan described her as Nawaz Sharif’s “heir apparent” and the “presumed future leader” of PML-N.
She came to prominence in publicity over leaks revealed in an article in English-language newspaper Dawn, in October 2016. The controversial article reported the army's reluctance to crack down on some militant groups allegedly involved in attacks against neighboring India and Afghanistan.
Maryam's critics called her the mastermind of this political fiasco for the Nawaz Sharif government. Despite this, she was not named in the Dawn leaks investigation.
Chaudhary Khadim Hussain, Editor Political Affairs in Urdu newspaper Daily Pakistan, said that the family was in hot water: “[The] Nawaz family, including Maryam, is facing trial, but still PML-N finds Maryam Nawaz the alternative of Nawaz Sharif.
Maryam is active on social media where she has defended her father’s policies and contested the allegations against her father and brothers. In speaking up for Nawaz Sharif, and explaining his position, she sometimes apparently takes a different line from the party leadership.
Along with her husband, father and brothers, she also faces the Accountability Court.
Her staunch defense against the action has boosted her image with party workers. It is said that she is facing a bad situation bravely.
“The person who is giving the ‘Nawaz narrative’ is Maryam Nawaz. She is fighting the case of her father and people loyal to Nawaz Sharif in the PML-N look to her,” Mujibur Rehman Shami, a senior editor and Nawaz Sharif family confidant, told Arab News.
“One thing should be clear to all that the forthcoming election is not hers. She has to wait for a few years to regain the power of her father,” he added.
Will Maryam Nawaz emerge as the new PML-N leader?
Will Maryam Nawaz emerge as the new PML-N leader?
Pakistan orders four-day workweek, shuts schools to save fuel amid Middle East oil crisis
- The development comes as ongoing US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupt oil supplies in Strait of Hormuz, push prices past $119 a barrel
- Islamabad bans government purchases, cuts fuel allocation for vehicles as well as workforce in public and private offices by 50 percent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced austerity measures, including a four-day work week, cuts in government expenditures and closure of schools, to offset the impact of rising global oil prices due to an ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Global fuel supply lines have been disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz, which supplies nearly a fourth of world oil consumption, after Tehran blocked it following United States-Israeli strikes on Iran and counterattacks against US interests in the Gulf region.
Oil prices surged more than 25 percent globally on Monday to $119.50 a barrel, the highest levels since mid-2022, as some major producers cut supplies and fears of prolonged shipping disruptions gripped the market due to the expanding US-Israeli war with Iran.
In his televised address on Sunday night, Sharif said global oil prices were expected to rise again in the coming days but vowed not to let the people bear their brunt, announcing austerity measures to lessen the impact of fuel price hikes.
“Fifty percent staff in public and private entities will work from home,” he announced, adding this would not be applicable to essential services. “Offices will remain open for four days a week. One-day additional off is being given to conserve oil, but it would not be applicable to banks.”
Sharif didn’t specify working days of the week and the government was likely to issue a notification in this regard.
He said a decrease of 50 percent was being made in fuel allocation for government vehicles immediately for the next two months, but they would not include ambulances and public buses.
“Cabinet members, advisers and special assistants will not draw salaries for the next two months, 25 percent salaries of parliamentarians are being deducted, two-day salaries of Grade 20 and above officers, or those who are paid Rs300,000 ($1,067) a month, are being deducted for public relief,” he said.
Similarly, there will be 20 percent reduction in public department expenses and a complete ban on the purchase of cars, furniture, air conditioners and other goods, according to the prime minister.
Foreign trips of ministers and other government officials will also be banned along with government dinners and iftar buffets, while teleconferences and online meetings will be given priority.
“All schools will be off for two weeks, starting from the end of this week, and all higher education institutions should immediately begin online classes,” he said.
Sharif’s comments were aired hours after Pakistani authorities said the country had “comfortable levels” of petroleum stocks and the supply chains were functioning smoothly, despite intensifying Middle East conflict.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said three oil shipments were due to reach Pakistan this week, state media reported.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Navy (PN) launched ‘Operation Muhafiz-ul-Bahr’ to safeguard national energy shipments, the Pakistani military said on Monday, amid disruptions to critical sea lanes due to the conflict.
The navy is conducting escort operations in close coordination with the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing. It is fully cognizant of the prevailing maritime situation and is actively monitoring and controlling the movement of merchant vessels to ensure their safe and secure transit.
“With approximately 90 percent of Pakistan’s trade conducted via sea, the operation aims to ensure that vital sea routes remain safe, secure, and uninterrupted,” the ISPR said on Monday. “Currently, PN ships are escorting 2 x Merchant Vessels, one of which is scheduled to arrive Karachi today.”
