On Monday, Maryam Nawaz Sharif is slated to be sworn in as Punjab’s first female Chief Minister, marking a historic moment for the province. As Nawaz Sharif’s daughter and a leading figure in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Maryam has garnered significant support from her party and allied factions in Punjab, ensuring her path to the chief ministership faces little resistance. At 50, she stands against Rana Aftab Ahmad, a candidate backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
The PML-N has also secured the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, with Malik Ahmad being chosen as the leader of the Legislature Party and Zahir Iqbal Channar as Vice-president. Additionally, in a separate but related development, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has elected Sayyad Owais Shah as the leader of Sindh Province’s Legislature, with Anthony Navid becoming Vice-president, a historic first for a non-Muslim in this role.
In other news, the United Kashmir People’s National Party has voiced strong opposition to the arrest of its Vice-president Rashid Ahmad by Pakistani authorities in Muzaffarabad Division.
Furthermore, in the political landscape of PTI, Barrister Ali Zafar has opted out of the presidential race, a decision made to focus on Imran Khan’s release and to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. His withdrawal followed a nomination by Barrister Gauhar Ali Khan.
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