Sindh Assembly to demand resignation of PM Nawaz

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party has decided to table a resolution in Sindh Assembly demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down from his office, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has already submitted a resolution in the provincial legislature’s secretariat seeking resignation of
the prime minister in the wake of the findings of the Panama Papers probe.

It is being said that MQM-Pakistan- the major opposition party in the provincial assembly- would likely to support the PPP resolution in the house.

According to sources, Khair-un-Nisa Mughal, a PPP MPA, will table the resolution in the house.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz members in Sindh Assembly have decided to protest against the resolution in the house, party sources said.

Fissures in ruling party

In the aftermath of the findings of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) inquiring into the offshore wealth of ruling Sharif family, submitted in the Supreme Court, Pakistan’s opposition parties demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

After a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan reserved its verdict in the Panama Papers case on Friday, speculations have been rife that the ruling party is shortlisting the candidates for the slot of prime minister in case Nawaz Sharif is disqualified.

The names of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are doing the rounds for the interim PM slot for 45 days till Shahbaz Sharif is elected on a National Assembly seat to lead the government for the remaining term.

The party’s stronghold Lahore sees emergence of banners advising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down and vacant the top seat for his brother and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

The ruling party witnessing fissures in its ranks at the high level with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali’s disapproval of the government’s tackling of the Panama Papers case and the party leaders’ statements against the state institutions.

The party leadership struggling to appease estranged Chaudhry Nisar to avoid chaos within the party.

Opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami and others pressing Nawaz Sharif to resign and nominate anyone from his party to replace him as he has lost legal and ethical mandate to continue to his office in the wake of Panama Papers case.