Maryam left as lone wolf after Shehbaz’s London departure

Former PM’s daughter urges voters to reject the disqualification of Nawaz and turn up to vote in NA-120 by-polls

LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz has said that she has left her ailing mother to be with Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) voters ahead of the NA-120 by-elections.

She was speaking during Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s departure for London as he left to inquire over the health of his ailing sister-in-law Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. Her father Nawaz Sharif, two brothers Hussain and Hassan, and Hamza Shehbaz were already in London mainly to look after Kulsoom Nawaz, who had undergone a surgery.



Addressing a sizable crowd gathered around her convoy in Krishan Nagar, Maryam said she would pass on the greetings of PML-N’s NA-120 voters to her mother.

The former PM’s daughter said that in order to reject the disqualification of Nawaz, people of Lahore needed to vote for PML-N on September 17. “The city has rejected the injustice and a victory in NA-120 would be proof of that. She appealed to the people to participate actively on the day of election and ensure PML-N claimed a landslide victory.

Maryam resumed the election campaign in the constituency after three days of Eidul Azha. At the same time, she continued meeting party members during Eid holidays and many MPAs from Lahore did not take a break during the holidays. These party members went door-to-door to disgruntled PML-N voters and addressed their concerns.

According to PML-N leaders, the party has started a full throttle election campaign. They said they started taking out rallies from Tuesday which would continue on. The leaders said the top brass of PML-N was expected to return this week and would also be holding meetings with workers. Some big shows of strength would be organised in the coming few days, they added.

After the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the wake of the Panamagate scandal, the NA-120 seat fell empty. Last month, PML-N fielded Kulsoom Nawaz as its candidate for the National Assembly seat from Lahore.



Captain (retd) Safdar, Senator Asif Kirmani and others submitted the nomination papers for Kulsoom Nawaz at the time.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Yasmin Rashid also filed her nomination papers for the key electoral battle. She appeared before the district returning officer to submit her papers along with opposition leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Ijaz Ahmed.

Hafiz Mian Zubair Kardar of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhary of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and other independent candidates also submitted their nomination papers. Din Muhammad, a former police constable, is also in the fray as an independent candidate.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2017.