His move to take on campaign activities in GB has given rise to debate about his renewed role
ISLAMABAD:
Is Nawaz Sharif making a political comeback? The Gilgit-Baltistan elections scheduled for June 7 may be the first real answer.
PML-N President Nawaz has largely stayed out of active political campaigning since returning to Pakistan after four years in exile in October 2023. Although he made public appearances upon his return, his political role since then has largely been limited to internal party affairs and organizational engagements.
He did not actively campaign during the 2024 general election, a move that reinforced the perception of a restrained political presence despite his party’s return to power at the Centre. His absence from the campaign trail was no accident, Nawaz returning from exile with his legal position still unsettled, his disqualification history unsettled. . Shehbaz, with his closer relationship with the establishment and cleaner legal record, was the safer face.
Ahead of the elections in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), speculation over Nawaz Sharif’s political reactivation has gathered pace. His move to undertake campaign activities in the region, along with planned visits to rallies and public engagements, has fueled debate over whether this marks the beginning of a renewed phase of political visibility beyond the party leadership.
The PML-N president is scheduled to pay a one-day visit to GB on Tuesday (today) where he will meet party leaders and ticket holders and exchange views on the elections and development priorities for the region.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid, a close aide of Nawaz, said the former prime minister’s engagements in Britain reflect his routine responsibilities as a party leader, adding that he continues to fulfill them when necessary.
“Whatever responsibilities Nawaz Sharif has, he fulfills them. Earlier he attended the Azad Kashmir Parliamentary Party Meeting. When the GB Parliamentary Party Meeting was held, he also attended it. When the time comes and his presence is required, as a party leader he fulfills all his obligations,” Rashid said.
On the other hand, according to PILDAT President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Nawaz’s active involvement in the GB campaign marks a remarkable shift as he has generally stayed away from direct campaigns in AJK and GB in the past.
He said the move could indicate a bid for greater political visibility in the party, adding that past political setbacks, including not taking on the prime minister’s office after the 2024 election, may have affected his positioning.
But Mehboob noted that there is also a practical dimension to Nawaz Sharif’s role, pointing out that sitting prime ministers and federal ministers are legally barred from campaigning, leaving him as the most prominent PML-N figure available to lead the effort.
