LAHORE -  After election for the central president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz failed to take place yesterday, no new date for this exercise was announced by the five-member election commission of the party headed by MNA Ch Jaffar Iqbal.

The PML-N central president election will be held this month, said Ch Jaffer Iqbal while talking to this scribe here yesterday. For it, a new election schedule would be announced about a week before the general council meeting which would elect the new president of the party, he added. former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Jaffar Iqbal, explaining reasons for not holding the party’S presidential election on September 7, said it was due to Eidul Azha holidays as well as to avoid possible inconvenience which the general council members could face due to reaching the city from far flung areas across the country. However, he sounded quite optimistic that election will be held by the end of this month. When asked whether any objection from the Election Commission could be raised if the party would go bearing the suffix of ‘Nawaz’ with the original name ‘Pakistan Muslim League’ after Nawaz Sharif stands disqualified to hold any party office by the SC verdict, Jaffer said it was not the case at all. No objection can come to the name ‘PML-N’ as it was prerogative of the partymen to use any name for the League. He said there were a number of political parties which go by the name of the persons who are no more but the party holds good for all purposes. He said to a question that names for the presidential candidates will be invited after the announcement of the schedule. 

It may be mentioned that party had earlier announced the name of Punjab chief minister to head the party after his election by the general house of the party which comprises members who number up to 2000 from all provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Balltistan. Shehbaz Sharif is at present in London to inquire after the health of his ailing sister-in-law and spouse of the former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif is also in London attending his spouse. Shehbaz, during his stay in London, is also due to get his medical check-up after he too has been cured of the cancer disease.

At present, Sardar Yaqooob Nasir is the acting president of the party who was appointed after the election commission sought name of acting present of the party after Sharif was no more member of the parliament following SC verdict.

Sources in the party say that right now the situation about the party’s presidential election has been changed. As to who would be the Presidential candidate of the party, they say, now will be decided in light of the victory of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz in the by-election in NA-120 Lahore. This seat fell vacant after disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.