As top court verdict looms, Maryam asks coalition to 'stand firm'

As the top court reserves its decision related to the recently held re-election for the post of Punjab chief minister, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has asked the coalition government to take a "firm stand" and "rise to the occasion".

"The government MUST take a firm stand & rise to the occasion," the firebrand PML-N leader said in a Twitter post.

Urging the incumbent government to "rise to the occasion", Maryam told them that "Leaders are made by the situations they are confronted with."

Meanwhile, senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Farhatullah Babar also took to the micro-blogging site to urge the government's coalition partners to "act decisively" in the face of the situation.

"Parliamentarians/PDM, if you really care about restoring balance of powers then read Art 191 and act decisively. Or stop grumbling," Babar said in a post re-tweeted by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

On July 23, Maryam said her party should not be expected to bow down to "unilateral decisions".

She was apparently referring to the Supreme Court's short order issued earlier in the day, wherein the top court suspended the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker’s ruling and restrained Hamza Shehbaz to exercise absolute powers and serve only as a “trustee” chief minister.