Pakistan’s prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has announced that Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, the son of the former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has been appointed as the new chief minister of Punjab. This follows a series of corruption investigations against the elder Sharif and his family. While the appointment may be seen as a demotion for Shahbaz Sharif, it is still likely to be seen as a victory for the PML-N in Punjab.
PML-N retains Punjab Chief Minister’s office
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) retained the Punjab Chief Minister’s office with 68 out of 117 seats in the Assembly, according to final results announced on Wednesday. The PML-N won 116 seats, one below its majority mark of 117. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won 35 seats, the Jamaat-e-Islami 10, and the Awami National Party three.
Election result in Punjab
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, on Sunday announced that his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had won the election in Punjab province. The PML-N won 106 of the 127 seats in the provincial assembly, with its main opponent, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), winning only 7 seats. Despite this narrow victory,PML-N leader and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz retains his office. Shahbaz is the son of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and was one of the most high-profile politicians in Punjab.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wins in Punjab
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has retained Punjab Chief Minister’s office with 72 seats against 47 seats of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). PML-N’s Hamza Shahbaz has won from Vehari with a margin of 27,581 votes.
The party’s candidate in Punjab Assembly Election 2017, Shahbaz Sharif, had made a strong campaign for the seat by visiting almost all the constituencies in the province. He was also assisted by his younger brother and PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif.
Hamza Shahbaz retains Punjab Chief Minister’s office
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) retained the Punjab Chief Minister’s office with Hamza Shahbaz emerging as the party’s candidate in the recent election. Shahbaz, who is also the son of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, won by a wide margin, defeating his opponents including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan and former Punjab Governor Lieutenant General (retired) Shuja Khan. The victory brings the PML-N back to power in Punjab for the fourth time since 1990.
Shahbaz enjoys strong support from his father, who is still popular in the province. The PML-N has also been able to win over some key constituencies that were previously held by PTI. This includes the seat of Lahore, which was once considered an stronghold of Imran Khan. The party’s strong performance in Punjab bodes well for its prospects in upcoming elections in other provinces such as Sindh and Balochistan.
Conclusion
In a major victory for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Hamza Shahbaz was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Punjab on Sunday, after being declared the winner of an election that had been marred by allegations of fraud. Shahbaz is the son of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and will now have to face the challenge of turning around a province that has been hit particularly hard by the country’s economic woes.
