President Asif Ali Zardari has named Rana Sanaullah, the Punjab President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), as an adviser to the Prime Minister on political and public affairs, according to Dawn.
This move, conducted under Article 93(1) of the Constitution, aligns with the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Sanaullah will be granted the status of a federal minister. During an interview on Geo News’ program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, Sanaullah mentioned his discussion with the Prime Minister regarding his inclusion in the federal government. However, the ultimate decision was postponed until the return of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif from China, as reported by Dawn.
This development follows closely on the unexpected appointment of Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar as the deputy prime minister by the PML-N government. Dar, a close confidant of Nawaz, took on the position without substantial opposition from allies. Sanaullah has previously held the position of interior minister in the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government.
According to Dawn, Sanaullah spearheaded PML-N’s electoral campaign for the February 8 general elections but faced defeat in the NA-100 (Faisalabad-VI) contest against PTI-backed candidate Nisar Jutt. Sanaullah secured 112,403 votes, while Jutt received 131,996 votes.