Shehbaz Sharif Remains in Establishment’s Good Books, Says Mansoor Ali Khan
LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in a relatively favourable position in the current political environment and continues to maintain good relations with the establishment, while the situation for PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz appears less favourable than it was a year ago, senior journalist and analyst Mansoor Ali Khan has said.
Speaking during a programme with anchorperson Muneeb Farooq, Mansoor Ali Khan said Shehbaz Sharif remained in the establishment’s “good books” and that coordination and communication between the two sides were progressing smoothly.
However, he observed that the political circumstances surrounding Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz appeared to have changed, with several developments creating challenges for the two PML-N leaders.
Comparing the current situation with that of a year earlier, the analyst said things were no longer as favourable for Nawaz Sharif and his daughter as they had previously been.
شہباز شریف کیساتھ One Page والی پالیسی بہت اچھی چل رہی ہے لیکن نواز شریف اور مریم نواز کیساتھ حالات اتنے اچھے نہیں ہے جو ایک سال پہلے تھے۔ منصور علی خان
@_Mansoor_Ali @muneebfaruqpak #PMLN https://t.co/R3QSFoGzcB— Ali Hassan (@AliJrnlst) October 23, 2026
Mansoor Ali Khan particularly referred to the controversy surrounding the purchase of an aircraft for Maryam Nawaz, saying the issue was not being viewed positively in some quarters.
He argued that when matters were generally progressing well, unnecessary controversies should be avoided. In his view, the aircraft issue had attracted avoidable attention and risked causing political damage rather than delivering any benefit.
The analyst noted that Maryam Nawaz had offered an explanation regarding the aircraft, but maintained that the controversy did not appear to have been fully resolved, with several aspects still under discussion.
He also referred to other developments in Lahore that, in his assessment, were not being viewed favourably for the Punjab chief minister, although he did not elaborate on those matters.
Summing up his assessment, Mansoor Ali Khan said Shehbaz Sharif’s relationship with the establishment appeared relatively stable, whereas the political environment for Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz seemed less favourable than it had been a year earlier.
