Maryam Nawaz, the nominee of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has secured her position as Punjab province's first female Chief Minister, amidst a boycott by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Maryam Nawaz, serving as the Senior Vice President of PML-N, achieved this historic milestone by winning the elections with 220 votes. Her opponent, Rana Aftab Ahmad from the Sunni Ittehad Council, received zero votes due to the boycott.
As the daughter of a three-time prime minister, Maryam Nawaz joins her family legacy, becoming the fourth member of the Sharif family to hold the position of Punjab Chief Minister. Previously, Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shehbaz Sharif, and Hamza Shehbaz had all served in this role between 1985 and 2022.
Maryam Nawaz secured victories in two constituencies in Lahore, NA 119 and PP-159, during the general elections on February 8. She chose to withdraw from the National Assembly seat and narrowly defeated the PTI-backed independent candidate Mehr Sharafat in the PP-159 constituency.
The Punjab Assembly session, presided over by newly-elected Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, faced disruption as opposition members from the Sunni Ittehad Council boycotted the proceedings. Despite efforts to persuade them to return, a committee was formed by the speaker including Khawaja Salman Rafique, Salman Nazeer, Samiullah, and Khalil Tahir Sindhu.
Previously, the PML-N secured victories in the Punjab Assembly speaker and deputy speaker elections, with Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan elected as PA Speaker and Malik Zaheer Ahmed Channer chosen as the deputy speaker. Both victories came in a house numerically dominated by the PML-N, with Khan garnering 224 votes and Channer receiving 220 votes against SIC candidates.
