The newly-elected members are scheduled to take their oaths tomorrow (Friday) as the Punjab Assembly convenes, marking the formal commencement of government formation in Pakistan's most populous province.
Within 20 days of the February 8 elections, the first session of the House must be convened. The elections resulted in the PML-N securing the largest number of seats in the provincial legislature.
Despite this, the PML-N, led by Maryam Nawaz, the party's chief organizer and political successor of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has garnered substantial support from independent candidates.
It is anticipated that Maryam will make history as the country's first woman chief minister, backed by over 190 directly-elected members, along with support from representatives entering the Punjab Assembly through reserved seats for women and minorities.
However, the allocation of reserved seats to different parties remains unclear, as PTI-supported independents have aligned with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will determine their eligibility for this purpose.
During tomorrow's session commencing at 10 am, the House will first conduct elections for the speaker and deputy speaker, followed by the chief minister.
Meanwhile, the PML-N has called for a parliamentary party meeting to be chaired by Maryam at 9 am before the Punjab Assembly session begins.
In a meeting with her party's MPAs on Wednesday, Maryam reiterated her commitment to continuing the development initiatives undertaken by her father and uncle, Shehbaz Sharif, during their tenures as provincial chief executives. She outlined various targets, including the establishment of five IT cities in Punjab, youth loans, improvements in healthcare and agriculture, and the attraction of foreign investment.
