LAHORE - The PML-N Quaid and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are not likely to appear in party rallies for the time being although demands in this regard by the party workers has been growing with every passing day since they came back home after suspension of sentence by the Islamabad High Court on September 19 last.
No judicial order or any other channel has imposed any restriction on their speaking to the avid workers of the party yet it is the self-imposed embargo which especially Mian Sahib has imposed on himself partly for the reason of disposition after the death of his spouse Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and partly for his own health and the pending cases and appeal against the conviction.
Party sources say that Nawaz Sharif is in grief and speaking very little even during meetings with the party leaders and the visitors. It does not suit the situation that he takes up politics while the Chehlum of his spouse is still to take place, they said adding, Nawaz Sharif is the most popular leader of the country who cannot be kept away from his lovers for long. However, they said it is up to the decision of the party Quaid himself as to when he will appear in the public rallies of the party and speak like he was seen after July 20, 2017 disqualification verdict against him by the Supreme Court.
It may be mentioned that Nawaz Sharif has been a major factor in galvanizing the party workers and voters. Besides, the party leaders regard him as the pivot and no-one can dare defy his command. But spending time with his mother and members of the family has become his preference after demise of Begum Kulsoom.
Since release from Adiala Jail on September 19 last, Nawaz Sharif presided over only one meeting of the party’s CEC after PML-N President and his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif was taken into custody by the NAB. But no direct speech he made at the party meeting unlike the past and decisions of the parley were communicated to the media through former law minister Rana Sanaullah. Breaking the silence, the former prime minster is talking to media after attending hearing at the trial court in the references against him but it is brief and related to the political issues contrary to his past tirade against the institutions.
The party workers however want their leader to satisfy their quest to hear him in public meetings which the sources say will happen after some time.
The former prime minister is also fighting for removal of his name from the ECL as he wants to travel abroad for medical purposes.
To a question about Nawaz Sharif’s appearance in public rallies, the PML-N spokesman Mushahidullah Khan said people loved and admired Nawaz Sharif who was equally good to mobilize the workers whether appearing or not appearing in the rallies. He ruled out that Nawaz Sharif will ever be in low profile in politics and said he was the top leader of the country and politics was incomplete without him. The by-election results in favour of the PML-N were a difference between Nawaz Sharif among the people and Nawaz Sharif behind the bar. He said the general election result would also have been different had Nawaz Sharif been out of jail before July 25 polls.