LAHORE: The Central Executive Committee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has nominated its president, and former chief minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif as its candidate for prime minister. He will challenge Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which emerged as the biggest party after the July 25 general elections.
The decision was made by the central leadership of the party during a meeting on Monday night at its central secretariat in Lahore. It follows the formation of a multi-party opposition “grand alliance” — the Pakistan Alliance for Fair and Free Elections — to field joint candidates for the country’s top political office, along with National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker, against a government alliance led by PTI. The opposition decided that PML-N will field the candidate for prime minister as it is the second-largest party in national assembly, while the third-largest, the Pakistan Peoples Party, will provide the candidate for speaker, and a Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal member will stand for deputy speaker. The parties pledged to support each other and work together in an attempt to prevent PTI gaining control of the offices.
“The CEC of the party has unanimously nominated its president, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, as its candidate for the post of prime minister,” said party spokeswoman Marriyum Aurangzeb. “He will be the joint candidate of the opposition alliance. The PML-N has rejected the election results owing to worst rigging in the history of Pakistan and a white paper containing the irregularities will be issued soon.”
She added that opposition party leaders and workers will stage a protest demonstration in front of the offices of Election Commission of Pakistan on August 8.
The opposition alliance prevously announced that PPP stalwart Syed Khursheed Shah, former leader of the opposition in National Assembly, would be its candidate for speaker. The PPP leadership is busy negotiating with smaller parties in an attempt to secure support for him and the other opposition candidates.
“The PPP is in contact with the parties that have fewer numbers in the parliament to muster their support,” said Ch. Manzoor Ahmed, a central PPP leader. “We are contacting the BNP and other parties from Balochistan and will make all efforts to help opposition candidates win.”
As the biggest party within religio-political alliance MMA, Jamiat Ulema Islam–Fazl is likely to supply the candidate for deputy speaker. Pundits predict that Maulana Asad Mehmud, the son of MMA chief Maulana Fazul Rehman, is likely to get the nomination.
The opposition alliance believes that with two thirds of the members in the Senate, it can effectively block the ruling alliance.
PML-N confirms Shehbaz Sharif as the opposition alliance candidate for prime minister
PML-N confirms Shehbaz Sharif as the opposition alliance candidate for prime minister
- The PML-N president, a former chief minister of Punjab, will take on PTI chairman Imran Khan for the country’s top political office
- The Pakistan People’s Party will supply the candidate for speaker of the National Assembly, and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal the candidate for deputy speaker
Ukraine president to meet European allies after Trump criticism
- Talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami ended on Saturday with no apparent breakthrough
- President Donald Trump accuses Ukrainian leader of not reading the US proposal to end the war with Russia
LONDON: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky was due to meet with European allies in London on Monday, after President Donald Trump accused him of not reading the US proposal to end the war with Russia.
It comes after days of talks between Ukrainian and US officials in Miami ended on Saturday with no apparent breakthrough, with Zelensky committing to further negotiations.
The Ukrainian president will be received in London by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, along with the German chancellor and French president to discuss the negotiations.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is meanwhile expected in Washington on Monday, where she will meet her American counterpart Marco Rubio.
“The UK and US will reaffirm their commitment to reaching a peace deal in Ukraine,” the Foreign Office in London said, announcing Cooper’s visit.
Moscow has meanwhile continued to strike its neighbor, wounding at least nine people overnight Sunday to Monday, according to Ukrainian officials.
‘Disappointed’
Zelensky said he joined his negotiators for a “very substantive and constructive” call with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during the Miami negotiations.
“Ukraine is committed to continuing to work honestly with the American side to bring about real peace,” Zelensky said on Telegram, adding that the parties agreed “on the next steps and the format of the talks with America.”
But Trump criticized his Ukrainian counterpart on Sunday, telling reporters “I have to say that I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago.”
Witkoff and Kushner had met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin last week, with Moscow rejecting parts of the US proposal.
French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of Monday’s talks slammed what he called Russia’s “escalatory path.”
“We will continue these efforts with the Americans to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, without which no robust and lasting peace will be possible,” Macron wrote on X.
He added: “We must continue to exert pressure on Russia to compel it to choose peace.”
Hot and cold
Washington’s initial plan to bring an end to the almost four-year war involved Ukraine surrendering land that Russia has not been able to win on the battlefield in return for security promises that fall short of Kyiv’s aspirations to join NATO.
But the nature of the security guarantees that Ukraine could get has so far been shrouded in uncertainty, beyond an initial plan saying that jets to defend Kyiv could be based in Poland.
Trump has blown hot and cold on Ukraine since returning to office in January, initially embracing Putin and chastising Zelensky for not being grateful for US support.
But he has also grown frustrated that his efforts to persuade Putin to end the war, including a summit in Alaska, have failed to produce results and he recently slapped sanctions on Russian oil firms.
