Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has made former Finance Minister and Senator Ishaq Dar the chairman of the party’s election cell for the next general elections.
In this regard, a notification was issued on Saturday, according to which Ishaq Dar was given the new responsibility with the approval of party president Shahbaz Sharif.
In the past, Ishaq Dar has held many important responsibilities in the central governments of the PML-N apart from the finance minister, but he has not contested any election for the national or provincial assembly for the past 26 years.
Notification to make Ishaq Dar the head of the election cell of the PML-N (PML-G Media)
PML-N Central Spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb said in a statement that making Ishaq Dar the head of the election cell will speed up the party’s election-related activities, as well as receiving applications for party tickets, monitoring election regulations, and all related matters. Matters will be completed quickly.
Senator Ishaq Dar also chaired the parliamentary committee that drafted the Election Act 2017 passed by Parliament.
Addressing the Senate session on Friday, he said that political parties should give party tickets to the youth in the upcoming general elections and that elections should be free and fair and all candidates should get a ‘level playing field’.
He said that the election should be transparent and international observers should be allowed to come to see the election process themselves.
Former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s X (Twitter) handle has criticized Ishaq Dar for getting a new responsibility.
According to the tweet: ‘It seems to be almost a rule now that you have to be related to the Sharif family to be in good standing in PML politics. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah were wise enough to leave… the others are either incompetent or politically incompetent and therefore part of the family circus.’
All in the family:) seems it’s almost a rule now that you have to be related with Sharif family to be in spotlight of PMLn politics, Shahid K Abbasi and Miftah were wise enough to leave…others are either incapable or politically incapacitated hence remains the part of family… https://t.co/mcOAbITZXu
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 4, 2023
Political analyst Salman Ghani while talking to Independent Urdu said that ‘N-League has made Ishaq Dar the head of the election cell and sent a message that the distribution of tickets will be done according to the will of Nawaz Sharif.
For this job, he has been given this position because he is a trusted friend, close associate and relative of Nawaz Sharif.
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According to Salman Ghani: ‘Ishaq Dar won the MNA election in 1993 from inside Lahore to the National Assembly seat and in 1997 he was elected MNA in the general elections from the Model Town constituency on the PML-N ticket.
After that, he did not participate in any election as a candidate, instead he was made the finance minister by making him the center.
He said that this time, PML-N does not want to take any risk, that’s why the responsibility of finalizing the candidates has been given to Nawaz Sharif’s close associate. He has the highest access to Nawaz Sharif and knows the interests of the party very well.
Salman Ghani added that ‘after Ishaq Dar comes to this post, it has to be seen what role will be given to Shehbaz Sharif, who supported Nawaz Sharif in every bad time.
“Similarly, with regard to other party leaders, their importance will be assessed when given responsibilities.”