Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was elected unopposed as the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday, reported Express News.

With the prospect of reinstating party supremo Nawaz as the president, the ruling party had scheduled intra-party elections for May 28 (today), coincidentally, the same day Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in 1998 during the PML-N’s second term in government.

After scrutinising nomination papers, the final list of candidates was issued by the party’s Chief Election Commissioner Rana Sanaullah.

According to party sources, the list featured just one candidate – former premier Nawaz – for the presidency. Consequently, he was elected unopposed as party chief earlier today.

Read Nawaz begins move to reclaim PML-N leadership

The official announcement will be made during the general council meeting, where his presidency will be confirmed.

Members of the general council will endorse Nawaz’s nomination as president through a show of hands during the session.

The PML-N’s Central Working Committee (CWC) on May 25 accepted “with a heavy heart” the resignation of the party’s incumbent president, PM Shehbaz Sharif while asking him to serve as acting president till the elections held today.

PM Shehbaz stepped down as the president of the PML-N on May 13, paving the way for the party supremo and three times former premier Nawaz to be elected as the party head.

Shehbaz was formally elected PML-N president in March 2018, months after the disqualification of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court. After the disqualification from holding any public office, Nawaz was also disqualified from holding any office in the political party.