PTI NA-119 candidate withdraws in Maryam’s favour 

In a significant political development ahead of general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehr Muhammad Waseem on Sunday declared his withdrawal in favour of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz in Lahore's NA-119, Express News reported. 

Waseem along with numerous PTI members also defected to PML-N, pledging their allegiance to Maryam Nawaz. The development came following a meeting between Waseem and his associates and PML-N leadership. 

Maryam Nawaz, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Maryam Aurangzeb, Ali Pervez Malik, Khawaja Imran Nazir, and other prominent PML-N leaders were present during the meeting.  

Read more: Maryam terms PTI’s predicament self-inflicted

Waseem will officially announce his inclusion in PML-N during a rally on January 25. Maryam Nawaz will also address the gathering.  

Expressing her gratitude, Maryam welcomed Waseem and his associates to the PML-N fold. She remarked, "You have chosen to be part of the caravan of progress. From 2018 to 2022, Pakistan witnessed the consequences of incompetence." 

The PML-N leader highlighted the challenges faced by women, such as the scarcity of gas in homes, and attributed Pakistan's current state to issues created by those desiring political vendettas.  

She praised the exemplary progress during the Nawaz Sharif era and cited Lahore as a model of development, contrasting it with the current issues. 

She emphasised PML-N's resilience, stating, "The party has endured difficult times. Leaders, workers, councillors – none have deserted. PML-N is not just a party; it's a family. All party workers are like brothers.” 

Maryam assured the public that her party’s agenda for the next five years is centred on addressing the people's issues, including water, electricity, and gas. She urged party members to join hands for the service of the nation and to alleviate the public from inflation and problems. 

"Our future and progress are intertwined with Nawaz Sharif. Removing Nawaz Sharif will leave nothing but chaos in the country. Under Shehbaz Sharif's tenure in Punjab, every project and job was based on merit, while the province now suffers from corruption and bribery,” she further said. 

Also read: Maryam vows to end inflation, restart uplift work

She vowed to solve every problem faced by the public in the coming five years, promising a focused agenda for the welfare of the people.