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
Indonesia reaffirms Yemen’s territorial integrity, backs stability efforts amid tensions
- Statement comes after Saudi Arabia bombed a UAE weapons shipment at Yemeni port city
- Jakarta last week said it ‘appreciates’ Riyadh ‘working together’ with Yemen to restore stability
JAKARTA: Indonesia has called for respect for Yemen’s territorial integrity and commended efforts to maintain stability in the region, a day after Saudi Arabia bombed a weapons shipment from the UAE at a Yemeni port city that Riyadh said was intended for separatist forces.
Saudi Arabia carried out a “limited airstrike” at Yemen’s port city of Al-Mukalla in the southern province of Hadramout on Tuesday, following the arrival of an Emirati shipment that came amid heightened tensions linked to advances by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the war-torn country.
In a statement issued late on Wednesday, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “appreciates further efforts by concerned parties to maintain stability and security,” particularly in the provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahara.
“Indonesia reaffirms the importance of peaceful settlement through an inclusive and comprehensive political dialogue under the coordination of the United Nations and respecting Yemen’s legitimate government and territorial integrity,” Indonesia’s foreign affairs ministry said.
The latest statement comes after Jakarta said last week that it “appreciates the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as other relevant countries, working together with Yemeni stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and restore stability.”
Saudi Arabia leads the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen, which includes the UAE and was established in 2015 to combat the Houthi rebels, who control most of northern Yemen.
Riyadh has been calling on the STC, which initially supported Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthi rebels, to withdraw after it launched an offensive against the Saudi-backed government troops last month, seeking an independent state in the south.
Indonesia has also urged for “all parties to exercise restraint and avoid unilateral action that could impact security conditions,” and has previously said that the rising tensions in Yemen could “further deteriorate the security situation and exacerbate the suffering” of the Yemeni people.
Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country, maintains close ties with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are its main trade and investment partners in the Middle East.
