No one from the party filed nomination papers against Nawaz. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, who was also elected as PML-N Chairman administered oath to the newly elected president before a cheerful gathering of party workers. Makhdoom Javed Hashmi had proposed the name of Nawaz Sharif while party Chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq seconded his nomination.
Javed Hashmi was among four others who were elected as PML-N senior vice presidents, Sartaj Aziz secretary-general, Mushahidullah Khan secretary information, Eng. Khurram Dastgir deputy secretary-information and Ayaz Sadiq secretary finance. Of the four senior vice presidents three were Ghaus Ali Shah, Yaqoob Nasir, Sardar Aziz and Sardar Sikandar Hayat. No ballot papers were printed for the election of all the top seven slots, including PML-N president as they were elected with consensus.
Later, addressing the participants, Nawaz dilated on his previous tenures as prime minister and recounted the achievements of his governments. He termed the ouster of his government in 1999 by Pervez Musharraf as a serious loss to the country's democratic institutions. He said he would have made Pakistan 'Asian tiger' had his government not toppled by Musharraf.
Endorsing the fiery speech delivered by Shahbaz Sharif in which he tagged President Zardari and his team as "group of Ali Baba and 40 thieves," Nawaz said Shahbaz has voiced the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. He termed the day of his election as party president 'the day of victory of the people and the democratic process,' adding that 12 years ago, the 'dictator' who abrogated the Constitution adopted all possible means to eliminate PML-N by inflicting pains and miseries on PML-N loyalists. "He created an artificial Muslim League and thought that PML-N has been eliminated forever. But today's historic day has proved that the power of people is mightier than the power of gun," he added.
He said verdicts of judiciary were defied and corrupt were being protected while the decisions of the Parliament were not being complied with." He further said there were attacks on the political independence and sovereignty of the country and the rulers were busy in looting the country's exchequer, adding that there was corruption of Rs 400 billion in the official institutions.
He said his party had decided to initiate some important steps such as establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a commission on dismissal of civilian government and military rebellions, commission on Kargil, putting the ISI and MI and other agencies under the civilian control and abolishing their political wings along with determination of their budgets, presenting the defence budget in the National Assembly and chalking out rules and regulations for the allotment of land.
Nawaz said he wanted to enforce these measures but President Zardari choose to criticise him and accused him of mischief. "Probably he (Zardari) has forgotten that Mohtarma affixed her signatures on these proposals and these are written in the Charter of Democracy," he said. "Ok, you have forgotten the Charter of Democracy, just read the election manifesto of PPP. Have all these things not been written, word-by-word, in it?" He said.
"The military rebellions have not only damaged the country; these have damaged the armed forces more vigorously, " he said, adding that we need to have strong and professional armed forces. It is imperative for national defence to have complete cohesion between armed forces and the people, he added. Going back to his previous tenure of 1999, Nawaz said there were some problems, but Pakistan was not begging from the world, there was no terrorism, no inflation and no unemployment.
"Was Karachi bleeding as it is bleeding profoundly today; was Balochistan burning as it is burring today, was Fata put to fire as it is today; was the political independence and sovereignty compromised as it is today; have you ever heard suicide bombing"? He asked the audience. He said today Pakistan stands isolated in the international arena and the country's economy was presenting a dismal look. "Today the country is facing numerous challenges including crisis of energy, terrorism and extremism, economy, political instability, social sector, national security and foreign policy issues, deliverance from dependence and of self-sufficiency and national integrity, cohesion and national identity," he added.
He said Pakistan of 1999 has stepped backward by many years during these 12 years instead of stepping ahead. He added that whom we shall hold accountable for all this destruction and abyss? "Against whom an FIR shall be registered by the Pakistan of the Quaid-e-Azam for all these heinous crimes and at whose door it should knock to lodge the complaint?" He posed a question.
He lamented that former dictator shattered the national integrity into pieces and Balochistan was put to fire by assassinating Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, Balaach Murree and many other politicians. He referred to singing of Charter of Democracy with PPP's slain chairperson Benazir Bhutto on May 15, 2006 to reform the national affairs and to lay down a future plan of action.
But, he deplored that after the general election of 2008, it become clear that PPP did not want to restore judiciary adding that President Zardari deviated from the CoD and refused to reinstate the deposed judges. He further said the government ignored a bill presented by his party, which was aimed at across the board accountability for the elimination of corruption.
He said the government was printing billions of rupee notes every day while on the other hand the lavish lifestyle of the ruling elite is on its peak. "The money borrowed during last three years is equal to the loans taken during last 40 years," he said.
He noted that foreign policy needs a new direction without any delay so that Pakistan could be steered out of international isolation. The issue of Kashmir shall not be put on back burner; rather more robust activities shall be demonstrated to resolve the Kashmir issue in line with wishes of Kashmiri people and the UN resolutions, he added.
About the solution of Balochistan problems, he demanded that a credible national Jirga should immediately be constituted which has the entire mandate to solve the problems of Baloch people and cases of Nawab Akbar Bugti, Balaach Murree and other persons shall be taken up with complete seriousness and all the accused persons be punished without any concession.
Referring to Karachi targeted killings, Nawaz said that the situation of Karachi needs to be immediately handled where the state authority has already been paralysed. It can only be done when the representative parties of Karachi hold accountable the criminals and law breaking elements transcending the political loyalties," he said.
About formation of new provinces, he said it was not a bad idea; however it should be done on administrative grounds. "I am in favour of creating new provinces when and where these are necessary to solve the problems of the people and to provide them the necessary relief," he said, adding that if these provinces are created on linguistic, racial or group basis, it will damage the security and integrity of Pakistan.