Shattering glass ceiling: Maryam scripts history

Observers say the otherwise positive rise of the first woman CM still tinged with dynastic traditions

LAHORE:

 

Maryam Nawaz scripted history on Monday as she was sworn in as Punjab's first woman chief minister, breaking through the glass ceiling in the political territory traditionally dominated by male politicians.

The 2024 general elections marked Maryam Nawaz's electoral debut. Previously appointed as the senior vice president of the party in January 2023 by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, she was entrusted with the task of restructuring the party.

Maryam was elected as MNA from constituency NA-119 and MPA from PP-159 in constituency NA-123.Following the party's directive, she chose to retain the PP-159 seat, paving the way for her elevation to the position of chief minister of Punjab.

However, this was not the Sharif scion’s inaugural venture into Pakistan's political landscape. Actively engaged in the party's election campaign leading up to the 2013 elections, she also led the PML-N’s social media wing during and after the polls.

In 2014, she assumed the role of chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, later contested in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and subsequently resigned. Despite holding no elected office, she was seen distributing laptops to students on behalf of the Punjab government.In 2016, during the former premier and her father Nawaz Sharif's open-heart surgery, Maryam took control of the media narrative, providing timely updates on her father's condition through her Twitter account.Maryam faced scrutiny for her control over the government’s messaging, especially when leaked audio clips revealed her instructing then-information minister Pervaiz Rasheed on advertisements for certain TV channels.

She admitted the authenticity of the clip, clarifying that she was referring to party ads.Maryam Nawaz’s electoral prowess was put to the test in September 2017 during the NA-120 by-elections, where she led the campaign for her ailing mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, securing victory with a considerably reduced margin.

This marked a pivotal moment for Maryam as she emerged as the heir to Nawaz Sharif’s political legacy.Debates among analysts revolved around whether the by-election victory truly signalled a triumph for the embattled PML-N.

This constituency had long been a stronghold for the party and the Sharif family, spanning nearly three decades.Political observers noted a positive shift in a party known for its conservative social ethos and a scarcity of women in prominent party and cabinet roles. However, they point out that her otherwise positive rise is still tinged with familial ties in a political landscape steeped in dynastic traditions.

Acknowledging the challenges she faced, Maryam conceded, "The journey was more difficult than I had imagined." During an interview with Voice of America, she highlighted the heightened criticism faced by women in the limelight, especially in leadership positions, compared to their male counterparts."If a woman has formed ideals, principles, ideologies, convictions, values, and wants to carve a niche for herself, it will always be viewed with a little suspicion," she remarked.

Despite resistance from within the party’s ranks, Maryam expressed being "pleasantly surprised" by the acceptance she found among the people of Pakistan.Regardless of whether "the people" embraced her, it was evident that her ascent came with a substantial cost — both on a personal level for Maryam and for the party.

Many stalwarts within the party were unimpressed by the rapidity of her rise, especially in a male-dominated political landscape where women held scarce leadership roles.