Pakistan Muslim League (N)

The Pakistan Muslim League (N) (Urdu: پاکستان مسلم لیگ ن) is a political party in Pakistan. It is led by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

History

The Pakistan Muslim League was founded in 1962, as a successor to the previously disbanded Muslim League, and gained the (Nawaz) or (N) in 1993 for its leader, Nawaz Sharif.

Factions of the PML-N broke away in 2001 forming Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q). PML-F is the only other known political party besides these two with the PML name that remains active.

Although some party leaders were sent to exile and others to jail, in the 2002 Pakistani general election, the party won 9.4% of the popular vote and 14 out of 272 elected members.

In the 2008 election, the party dominated the PML-Q and dominated the Punjab Assembly, earning a total of 91 seats in the National Assembly, just below the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which won 121 seats; the parties agreed on forming a coalition government.

Presidency

The President of Pakistan Muslim League (N) is Shahbaz Sharif and the political leader/Quaid of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) Nawaz Sharif, is the main leader, former Prime Minister and the founder of the Pakistan Muslim League (N)

2008 general election

After returning to Pakistan, the PML (N) contested the 2008 general election, demanding a restoration of the judges sacked under the emergency rule placed by President Pervez Musharraf and removal of Musharraf as President. After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Sharif announced that the PML (N) would boycott the polls, but after some time and conversations with the co-chairman of the PPP, Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz announced that the party would contest in the polls and began to rally in the Punjab areas. On February 18, 2008, after the polls were closed and the results had been announced, the PML-N gained 68 seats in the National Assembly, just behind the PPP. They announced that they would have discussions on forming a coalition with the PPP which would have half the seats in the 342 seat Parliament. In a press conference on February 19, Nawaz called for President Pervez Musharraf to step down. Nawaz and Zardari agreed on forming a coalition, and Nawaz announced that he and his party gave the PPP the right to chose the next Prime Minister. Nawaz is preparing to contest in by-polls to be held soon to gain a seat in the Punjab constituency.

On March 9, 2008 in a press conference held in Muree, Punjab PML-N Leader Nawaz Sharif and PPP Co-Leader Zardari officially signed an agreement to form a coalition government, entitled the PPP-PML summit declaration. By this joint declaration, both parties agreed on the reinstatement of deposed judges through the newly elected government within 30 days after the federal government was formed. The nominee for Prime Minister would be fully supported by the coalition parties but the nominee should carry forward both party agendas. Sharif stated in the press conference that the Charter of Democracy had been formulated by Bhutto and Sharif. Speaking at the press conference for the first time, Zardari stated that Bhutto's dream of PPP-PML-N uniting was her dream and that on this day her dream came true. This agreement became known as the Bhurban Accord. Zardari also offered the post of Prime Minister to Sharif, who happily rejected the offer.

On May 13, 2008, the PML (N) ministers resigned from the government due to a disagreement related to the reinstatement of the judges. Nawaz said that the PML (N) would support the government without participating in it. Zardari, hoping to preserve the coalition, told Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to reject the resignations.[1]

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on June 27, 2008, won three and two by-election seats, respectively, to the national parliament. Polls were postponed for the sixth seat in Lahore due to Nawaz Sharif's eligibility contest. A court ruled he was ineligible due to an old conviction, amid a government appeal in the Supreme Court, which will hear the case on June 30, thus postponing the vote in the constituency.[2] The two parties also won 19 of 23 provincial assembly seats where by-elections were held. The results will not affect the February 18 general election results in which Benazir Bhutto's PPP won 123 seats in the 342-seat National Assembly and Sharif's party came second with 91, while Pervez Musharraf's party came a poor third with 54 seats. Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) won eight provincial assembly seats, while the PPP won seven provincial seats.[3][4]. On August 25, 2008, Nawaz Sharif announced that Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui would be Pakistan Muslim League (N) nominee to replace Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan.

Quaid

1. Nawaz Sharif (2002-present)


Presidents

1. Nawaz Sharif (1993-2002)
2. Shahbaz Sharif (2002-present)

Acting President

1. Javed Hashmi(2000-2007)


Other leaders

* Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq, Chairman
* Javed Hashmi, Senior Vice President
* Nisar Ali Khan
* Muhammad Rafiq Tarar
* Senator Ishaq Dar
* Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Secretary General
* Ahsan Iqbal, Information Secretary
* Khawaja Muhammad Asif
* Shahid Khaqan Abbasi
* Khawaja Saad Rafique
* Mehtab Ahmed Khan
* Tehmina Daultana
* Rana Tanveer Hussain
* Zulfiqar Ali Khosa, President PML-N Punjab
* Ghous Ali Shah, President PML-N Sindh
* Pir Sabir Shah, President PML-N NWFP
* Dost Muhammad Khosa .