A new era will begin in Pakistan! Maryam Nawaz will become the first woman Chief Minister of Punjab province

Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz is set to create history as the first woman Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province, following the program of the inaugural session of the provincial legislature. Of the five assemblies that voted on February 8, the Punjab Assembly is the first to convene its inaugural session. Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman has summoned the Punjab Assembly session on Friday, where the newly elected members will take oath, marking the beginning of the formation of the new government, a Governor House spokesperson said.

Who is Maryam Nawaz?

Born on 28 October 1973 in Lahore, Pakistan, Maryam Nawaz is the youngest of three children of Nawaz Sharif and Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. A prominent figure in Pakistani politics, Maryam received her education from the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Lahore and later attended the Beaconhouse School System. Nawaz’s daughter is married to Muhammad Safdar Awan, a businessman and politician in the country, and the couple has three children. Maryam led the PML-N to victory in the 2013 Pakistan elections when she was elected as the party president. As an advisor to her father, she also played a key role in his re-election campaign in 2008. He was then appointed as the Chairman of Punjab Tourism Development Corporation. In 2017, the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified Maryam from holding public office in the light of the Panama Papers scandal. The court ruled that she was involved in corruption and money laundering, however, she denied any wrongdoing and said she was innocent. He is seen in Pakistan as a strong and charismatic leader who is capable of meeting the challenges facing the country. According to Geo News report, Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has assets worth more than Rs 842.58 million. The daughter of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has stated in the documents that she has gold worth Rs 17.5 lakh. Whereas, he has more than Rs 10 million in various bank accounts.

What is the mathematics of Pakistan election results?

In the Punjab Assembly elections, PML-N won 137 seats, while independent candidates backed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 113 seats. About 20 independents, not affiliated with PTI, have already formed an alliance with PML-N. Those supported by PTI have joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) to secure reserved seats for women and minorities and maintain their loyalty amid pressure from the military establishment. However, there are doubts about the eligibility of the SIC for the reserved seats due to legal concerns, which would potentially give the PML-N a simple majority in Punjab. It is expected that the Election Commission of Pakistan will soon announce the allocation of reserved seats in the provincial assembly. SIC seems unlikely due to legal issues, as its leader did not contest the election on his party’s ticket. The deadline for submission of candidates for reserved seats has passed.