{"id":25515,"date":"2023-11-17T12:56:08","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T12:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/politicians-cash-in-on-nawazs-popularity-latif-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-11-17T12:56:08","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T12:56:08","slug":"politicians-cash-in-on-nawazs-popularity-latif-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/politicians-cash-in-on-nawazs-popularity-latif-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Politicians cash in on Nawaz\u2019s popularity: Latif | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nLAHORE:
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PML-N stalwart Javed Latif on Thursday came to the defense of his party and sought to remove the stigma of being labeled the establishment\u2019s “blue-eyed boy.” He clarified that the political support the party is receiving is being misrepresented, emphasizing that as elections approach, regional political entities seek seat adjustments with the PML-N “because of the popularity of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif.”<\/p>\n

Latif expressed these views during a news conference at the party’s secretariat in Model Town. Earlier this week, Nawaz Sharif secured backing from over two dozen influential figures in Balochistan, notably former chief minister Jam Kamal Khan. This development occurred as political maneuvers intensified, with the PML-N attempting to court regional players to form a strong alliance against the PPP in the province.<\/p>\n

Read\u00a0 <\/strong>PML-N to form national govt: Latif<\/a><\/p>\n

Having accepted former key leaders of the BAP party into its fold, the PML-N, which had previously criticized BAP and labeled it as an establishment-backed party, had also condemned others for seeking support from BAP. Latif reiterated that the political support the PML-N is gaining is being portrayed in a \u201cwrong manner.\u201d He took a jab at former premier Imran Khan, alleging that the PTI chief was not just involved in alleged corruption worth \u00a3190 million.<\/p>\n

He claimed that even today, the PTI chairman was playing on \u201cboth sides of the wicket.\u201d \u201cOne of [Imran\u2019s] lawyers comes from jail and says [they] are ready to \u2018beg establishment\u2019 [for the party chairman\u2019s release] whereas the other one says their fight is with the establishment,\u201d he added. Meanwhile, the PML-N has devised a plan and is expected to make a major breakthrough in South Punjab.<\/p>\n

Sources within the party revealed that the PML-N has initiated backdoor communication with Khusro Bakhtiar and leaders of the former Junoobi Punjab Suba Mahaz. It is expected that an electoral alliance will be formed after seat adjustments and inclusion of South Punjab electables in the PML-N.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n