Shahid Khaqan Abbasi: only resigned from party post, not PML-N

Former prime minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday confirmed that he had tendered his resignation from his party position.

Speaking with SAMAA TV host Nadeem Malik on the television show Nadeem Malik Live, he was asked whether he had quit the party.

Abbasi clarified that he had not quit the party. Rather, he said that he had tendered his resignation to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif to quit his position in the party. He added that he remains a member of the party and that leaving the party is a highly extreme step.

Asked whether he agreed with the step to grant Maryam the elevated position, he said that it was the party’s decision.

He went on to say that he has had a long association with Maryam’s father who has given immense respect to every member and unlike other parties, gives everyone the freedom to express their feelings and patiently hear them.

Asked if he was resigning because he felt spurned after Maryam was given his position, Abbasi said that it was not so. He explained that he was one of the few people who was in parliament when slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was first elected to parliament and how she was surrounded by a lot of people who were closer to her father and the conflict she had with them that nearly paralyzed her government and that when she came back as prime minister for a second term, she had a lot of new faces around her and was able to make progress.

Party quitting rumors refuted

A spokesperson of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday has refuted news that the former prime minister – who had taken over after deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the court – had resigned from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).**

Abbasi is a senior vice president of PML-N, the same position recently given to Maryam Nawaz.

Earlier, party’s senior leader Muhammad Zubair had confirmed receiving the resignation. Though his reports of his resignation were later refuted.

Abbasi’s spokesperson had said that if the former premier did not leave the party in difficult times, why he would do so now.

The former prime minister spent several months in jail but did not deviate from his mission, his spokesperson said.

On Wednesday morning, reports had emerged that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had tendered his resignation from the post of PML-N senior vice president.

However, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had not accepted Abbasi’s resignation yet. But, the party’s senior leader Muhammad Zubair has confirmed receiving the resignation.

He said that the post in the party would not diminish Khaqan’s role and his stature was bigger than a position.

Sources had said that Abbasi was unhappy with the recent party decisions including Maryam Nawaz’s appointment as PML-N chief organizer and belittling of former finance minister Miftah Ismail since Ishaq Dar took over.

Sources had said that the former prime minister was also annoyed with Suleman Shehbaz’s cryptic comments on Miftah.