Look Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam, PML-N MPs take oath in Pakistan’s Punjab amid PTI uproar
Last updated: 23 February 2024, 21:16 IST
Maryam Nawaz was one of the 337 elected MPs of Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly who took oath in a session marred by sloganeering on Friday. (Image: Maryam Nawaz/X Handle)
Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz takes oath as Punjab Assembly member, poised to become first woman chief minister
Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, began her innings in parliamentary politics on Friday when she was sworn in as a member of the Punjab Assembly.
This came after the party of jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan approached the Supreme Court challenging the results of the February 8 election, alleging massive rigging. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has claimed to have won 180 seats in the National Assembly through party-backed independent candidates. However, rigging ensured that the number was reduced to only 92 seats.
On Friday, Maryam was one of the 337 elected MPs of Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly who took oath in a slogan-filled session between members of Sharif-led PML-N and Khan’s PTI, which is now in the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). have joined. The 50-year-old PML-N leader, who is now being elected as the first woman chief minister of the premier province, was seen holding her father’s portrait in the Punjab Assembly.
PML-N/SIC took oath
Around 200 PML-N MPs, including chief ministerial candidate Maryam Nawaz, were administered the oath of office by outgoing speaker Sibtain Khan. About 100 of the 113 Sunni Ittehad Council SIC (the new home of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) also took oath. SIC/PTI candidate Aslam Iqbal and some others did not reach the assembly as a heavy police presence was there to arrest them for their involvement in the May 9 attacks on military installations following the arrest of Imran Khan last year.
After administering the oath, the Speaker announced the election of the Speaker and Vice Speaker on Saturday. All PML-N MPs brought Nawaz Sharif’s photograph into the House and raised slogans to express solidarity with the 74-year-old party supremo, who surprisingly nominated his younger brother for the post of prime minister.
‘Mandate thief’
Tell the world that as per original, signed documentary evidence, Nawaz Sharif’s party supported PML-N won 42/297 seats in the Punjab Assembly and 17/261 seats in the National Assembly. #manadeshchor Stolen the mandate of the country and are forming fake, illegitimate governments… https://t.co/Ylw9vwBDQS
– PTI (@PTIofficial) 23 February 2024
First woman Chief Minister in Pakistan’s history
SIC/PTI MPs raised slogans of “mandate thief”. He said that once the court gives him back his stolen mandate, he will form the government. Maryam, who is currently the PML-N vice-president, is set to become the first woman chief minister in the history of Pakistan as her party now has a two-thirds majority in the Punjab Assembly.
On the other hand, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has deprived SIC/PTI of seats reserved for women and minorities. ECP says it has not submitted the list of women and reserved seats on time. SIC’s appeal in this matter is pending with the ECP. Successful independent candidates supported by PTI joined SICs across the country to build their identity and avoid a situation in which they were forced to switch their loyalty to the PML-N.
(with agency input)
