PESHAWAR, Oct 6: The leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is still indecisive to restore the membership of Capt (retired) Safdar, former central president of PML-N youth wing, despite submission of his reply to the show-cause notice issued to him by party’s general secretary Iqbal Zadar Jhagra.

The party is also careful in adjusting the newcomers, particularly supporters of former PML-Q leader Engr Amir Muqam, to avoid any internal rift. The PML-N fears that its disgruntled leaders and workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can join Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf.

Sources said that PML-N dissolved its student wing three years ago and merged it into the youth wing because party’s chief Mian Nawaz Sharif was opposed to students politics. “But now as the youth wing is becoming inactive the party can lose many workers,” they added.

The PML-N youth wing’s president was given 10 days for submitting explanation to the show-cause notice but his membership is still suspended despite lapse of about three months.

Insiders told Dawn that in the beginning it seemed very easy because Mr Safdar apologised in his explanation but the leadership could not take prompt decision on the issue and it got further complicated.

“The provincial leaders of the party have put a condition before the central leadership that people nominated by Mr Safdar as provincial office-bearers of the youth wing, especially central information secretary Khadim Ali Yousafzai and provincial president Mian Rashid, should be replaced but the former president of the youth wing is not ready to accept the condition,” they said.

PML-N acting chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, when contacted, said that following his explanation, the party had almost decided to restore Mr Safdar’s membership. The final decision, he said, would be taken by the relevant committee.

He said that party had formed a committee for resolution of the issue and it was responsible to submit a report in that regard. However, he did not give further details.

PML-N youth wing information secretary Khadim Ali Yousufzai said that delay on the decision was damaging the youth wing of the party. “Since the suspension of Mr Safdar’s membership three months ago, no function had been held to strengthen the party,” he added.

He said that only a provincial level meeting was held recently wherein a resolution was adopted unanimously in favour of Mr Safdar.

PML-N provincial general secretary Rehmat Salam Khattak said that Mr Safdar had admitted his mistakes so there would be no hesitation in restoration of his membership.

Similarly, the four-member committee of Pir Sabir Shah, Amir Muqam, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi and Farid Toofan that was formed for resolution of the issue pertaining to adjustment of newcomers on key seats of the party is also yet to take any decision for accommodating the people.

“Now, main stakeholders are Mr Muqam and Pir Sabir Shah as they have to resolve the issue. They have held some meetings in this connection,” Mr Khattak said and added that the party offices would be awarded on basis of merit.

He said that there was no concept of new and old workers in the party but even then it was an issue to be resolved amicably so that unrest among the workers could be removed.

Mr Khattak said that work for strengthening of party was in progress and Khwaja Mohammad Khan Hoti would soon join PML-N. “We have almost finalised discussions with him and only announcement is pending,” he claimed.

PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, he said, would soon visit Peshawar to meet some delegations and devise strategy for future plans in the province.