Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has resigned from his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) post, spokesperson for Nawaz Sharif Mohammad Zubair confirmed the development.

“He [Shahid Khan Abbasi] is a big leader, and quitting the post will not affect him,” Zubair told the media. He also added that Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had also confirmed the resignation.

Zubair said that he doesn’t want to “wash dirty laundry” in public, adding that Miftah Ismail is still with PML-N.

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“He is a very senior leader and a former prime minister. The party needs his experience.”

It was reported in The News on Wednesday that Abbasi decided to step down after Maryam Nawaz was elevated as the party’s chief organiser and senior vice president by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the President of PML-N.

According to media reports, Abbasi said that he had made it clear to Nawaz Sharif three years back that it would not be possible for him to continue with Maryam Nawaz if she was elevated to party’s top office.

To a query, he said he had not talked to Maryam Nawaz ever since her return from London. “I am happy that her surgery has been successful,” he said.

On January 30, Abbasi had said that he believed Maryam Nawaz will be able to organise the party. Speaking on Dawn News, Abbasi was asked if he accepted Maryam Nawaz as his leader. The former premier responded by saying that his leader is Nawaz Sharif, and after him, Shehbaz Sharif is the president of PML-N. “Apart from this, I don’t say a yes or no to anyone else.”

However, Abbasi’s spokesperson said that the news of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s resignation is “baseless”. “He did not leave the party in difficult circumstances; why will he leave today?” the spokesperson asked.

As per reports, former PM Abbasi was unhappy with the decision being taken without consulting other party members, adding Abbasi tendered his resignation a day after Maryam Nawaz’s appointment.

Earlier this month, Maryam was promoted as the PML-N’s senior vice-president and was also asked to reorganize the party which has faced a series of electoral defeats in 2022.

It was also reported that Abbasi said, “Maryam Nawaz is appointed senior vice president and in this situation, there’s no reason for me to work as party’s SVP.”