Nawaz Sharif's ex-political secretary Asif Kirmani quits PML-N

ISLAMABAD: After Abbas Khan Afridi's departure from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz last month, former political secretary of the ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, Dr Syed Asif Kirmani, announced to quit the ruling party on Saturday.

Kirmani, in a surprise statement today, said that he has distanced himself from the political affairs of the Nawaz-led party for a long time.

Censuring the PML-N government, the politico said the people were "dying of [inflated] power bills and inflation" while a group of leaders were cheering the rulers on their "ineffective governance".

"Nawaz Sharif Sahib! All is not well."

However, he did not give a clue about joining another party. Kirmani added that he will soon issue a detailed statement about his decision to quit the party.

Kirmani was appointed by former prime minister Nawaz as his political secretary during his rule in 2013. He was considered a close associate of the ex-premier and played an active role during the PML-N's election campaign before the party rose to power in 2013.

Kirmani became the latest PML-N leader who quit the party over differences with the top party leadership's style of politics and its decision to form the government following the February 8 elections despite rigging allegations.

Lately, Afridi parted ways with the ruling party last month claiming that the party’s president Nawaz "is no longer relevant in the country’s politics".

Similarly, PML-N leader and ex-Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail have also parted ways with the ruling party in recent months.

Abbasi and Ismail had launched a new political party, Awaam Pakistan, earlier this month which was joined by several former PML-N leaders including Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Javed Abbasi, Syed Zaeem Hussain Qadri, Rana Zahid Tauseef, Zahid Binnouri, and Sardar Anwar Soomro.