Lahore  -  The PML-N Parliamentary Party on Monday nominated Hamza Shehbaz Sharif as candidate for chief minister’s office and Chaudhry Iqbal Gujjar for speakership of the Punjab Assembly.

The party will announce name of the deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly by Wednesday. Former law minister Rana Sanaullah Khan told the media that the party would take active participation in the political process. He said the party had decided to respond to the rival party, the PTI, in a forceful manner. He said the PML-N had won majority seats in Punjab and formation of the government is its right as such. However, he said, a disqualified person of the PTI had set up a market for purchase of lawmakers. He said Imran Khan had a ‘bogus mandate’, which the PML-N would not accept. He said about 80 members of the National Assembly were brought to the assembly by ‘aliens’ and not the public.

Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leadership decided to go to an accountability court in Islamabad where former premier Nawaz Sharif is due on Wednesday.

The election for speaker and deputy speaker is also due in the National Assembly on Wednesday.  PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, who will lead his party’s parliamentarians to the court. He urged MPs to reach the court at 9am so that they can attend the election proceedings at 10am.

The members took a very serious view of the decision to bring Nawaz to the court in an APC. PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurengzeb said it was “height of insult to a person, who has been thrice prime minister, made Pakistan an atomic power, overcame energy crisis and revived economy, is being brought to the court in an APC.

“This is meant for those who have committed heinous crimes. We condemn it and demand that caretakers give due respect and provide a respectable transport to Nawaz as he has rendered valuable services to the country,” she said.

Dr Asif Kirmani said the caretakers had “set a bad tradition by carrying a top politician of the country in an armoured vehicle. He added: “He (Nawaz) is the man who ended the darkness and made defence of the country impregnable.”

According to sources, Shehbaz asked the party parliamentarians to go to the court with him on Wednesday to receive Nawaz. Hamza Shehbaz presided over the Punjab parliamentary party meeting that considered candidates for the election of CM, speaker and deputy speaker.

Hamza asked the members to play a forceful role in the Punjab Assembly. He said they will take a strong stand on the issues and perform vibrant and active entity in the Assembly. ­Talking to the media, former PML-N minister Tahir Khalil Sindhu said the PML-N still hopes of forming government in the Punjab since difference of five or six seats exists between his party and the rival PTI.

Uzma Bokhari said had election been held free and fair, the situation would totally have been different. However, she added that they will face every challenge and give a tough time to the rivals.