On February 26, Punjab Province of Pakistan got its first woman Chief Minister. Maryam Nawaz, a senior leader of the PML-N and the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, made history by becoming the first woman Chief Minister of a province in Pakistan.
In her inaugural speech, Maryam expressed her joy in occupying the same seat once held by her father. She thanked God, her father Nawaz Sharif, her uncle Shehbaz Sharif, and the legislators who supported her. She said, "My father trained me how to run the office."
She expressed her pride in this achievement, stating that it was an honour for all women in the nation. “Today, every woman of the province is proud to see a woman chief minister," she stated, expressing optimism for the continuation of female leadership in the future.
The PML-N stated in a post on X said, "For the first time in our nation's history, a woman will ascend to the role of CM Punjab. Maryam Nawaz Sharif will be the inaugural female Chief Minister of Punjab.”
CM Elections
Maryam won the chief ministerial elections in Punjab with 220 votes. The newly-elected Chief Minister, garnered the support of the majority in the House, securing victory in the election.
Her opponent, Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC, received no votes due to his party's boycott.
"The votes have been counted according to which Maryam has obtained 220 votes, and SIC candidate Rana Aftab Aftab secured zero votes," said newly-elected Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan while presiding over the session.
The PTI-backed SIC, with 103 members out of its total 113 lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly, had its members take oath. Meanwhile, Ms. Maryam received backing from PML-N allies, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), and the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP).
Opposition Accuses- ‘Defeated’ Candidate CM?
During the session, a walkout by at least 103 SIC members, including PTI-backed independent lawmakers, occurred after the SIC nominee for Chief Minister, Mr. Aftab, was not allowed to speak during a point of order. Speaker Khan informed the SIC candidate that only elections for the Chief Minister would take place during the session, preventing him from speaking.
Despite efforts to persuade the boycotting lawmakers to return, the Speaker Khan proceeded with the proceedings to elect a new leader of the House, as reported.
Before boycotting the session, the opposition chanted slogans of "Queen of Mandate Thieves," claiming that Maryam had lost her seat by a margin of over 800 votes in the February 8 polls.
Additionally, the PTI alleged that over 100 Punjab Assembly seats had been stolen from them.
PTI alleged that a "defeated" candidate had become the Chief Minister. PTI nominee for the chief ministerial post, Mr. Aftab, remarked, "It seems as if dictatorship persists even today." Speaking to the media in Lahore while the Punjab Assembly voted for the new leader of the House, he expressed shame at the situation and called for justice according to the law and Constitution to advance democracy.
Taking a dig at the walkout by SIC lawmakers, Maryam expressed disappointment, stating, "Today, I am upset that the respected members of the opposition benches are not present here... I wish they would be a part of the political and democratic process."
Despite facing numerous challenges, she highlighted that her party, the PML-N, never left the ground empty. Maryam also expressed that she would have welcomed protest from the opposition during her speech if they were present.
Before heading to the Punjab Assembly for the Chief Minister's election, Maryam visited her mother's grave at Jati Umra. The PML-N mentioned on social media that Maryam also paid a visit to the graves of her paternal grandparents.
Maryam, considered the political heir of 74-year-old PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, saw her father surprisingly nominate his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, 72, as the party's prime ministerial candidate. The PML-N secured both speaker and deputy speaker offices in the Punjab Assembly.
Maryam Nawaz
Born in 1973 in Lahore, Pakistan, Maryam Nawaz is a prominent figure in Pakistani politics. Her political journey began in 2012, and within a year, she led her party, PML-N, to victory in the elections.
However, her career faced a setback in 2017 when she was barred from holding public office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan due to her involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. Subsequently, in 2018, she was convicted in the Avenfield corruption reference case, rendering her ineligible to contest nationwide elections.
She resumed her political activities after being granted bail in 2019. In September 2022, the Islamabad High Court overturned her corruption conviction, clearing the way for her to participate in the 2024 general elections.
In January 2023, she was appointed as the senior vice president of PML-N. Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has been a significant figure in Pakistani politics, serving as a member of both the National Assembly of Pakistan and the Provincial Assembly of Punjab.
©️ Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media.
