LAHORE: PML-N MNA Javed Latif has shown ‘no regard’ to the show-cause notice issued to him last month for indirectly criticising party president Shehbaz Sharif as he neither bothered to respond to it nor to a reminder.

Mr Latif was given seven days to reply to the show-cause but despite the passage of three weeks he chose not to respond. A reminder has also been issued to him but to no avail.

“I have sent him (Latif) a reminder to respond to the show-cause notice,” PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said on Thursday in reply to a Dawn’s query regarding Latif’s ‘reluctance’ to respond to the party notice.

When asked if the party would take action against him (Latif) for violating the party discipline, Mr Iqbal said: “Let him submit a reply.”

PML-N sources insist that since Latif has the blessings of Maryam Nawaz (the party vice president), he simply put the show-cause notice in the dustbin. “Without the direction of someone at the top, Latif could not have dared to remain indifferent to the matter,” a party insider said.

Javed Latif, who had become a confidant of Maryam Nawaz after being jailed, had told a private news channel on Sept 14 last that four to five leaders in the PML-N were on an ‘assignment’ to distort the party’s narrative (respect the ballot). Indirectly referring to Shehbaz, who advocates the narrative of reconciliation (with the Establishment), Latif said “those who are on an assignment talk about reconciliation. I don’t want to name them but when seasoned leaders cause damage to the party’s narrative, this is not possible without an assignment (from the establishment).”

Shehbaz Sharif, the opposition leader in the National Assembly, reportedly took Latif’s comments as his ‘insult’ and boycotted two back-to-back divisional level meetings of the party in Lahore to register his protest with Nawaz Sharif. Later, Nawaz ordered issuance of a show-cause notice to Latif to placate Shehbaz.

On Sept 16, Ahsan Iqbal served him show-cause notice seeking reply within seven days regarding his ‘certain comments and allegations’ about his colleagues in the party. “I am directed by Nawaz Sharif to issue this show-cause notice to you (Latif) and you are called upon to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against you,” it said.

A senior party leader told Dawn that Latif’s episode had exposed the two groups in the party -- Maryam and Shehbaz. “Although Shehbaz’s protest forced Nawaz to issue show-cause notice, his (Latif’s) stubborn attitude shows that Maryam group prevails over Shehbaz’s. Latif knows that it is not in the power of Shehbaz to either corner him in the party or refuse him a ticket for future elections. As long as he (Latif) has the backing of Maryam, he does not need to apologise to Shehbaz,” he said.

Javed Latif did not respond to Dawn’s queries for his comment.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2021