In a watershed moment for women’s empowerment in Pakistan’s largely male-dominated politics, Maryam Nawaz, senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and heir-apparent to party supremo Nawaz Sharif, broke down gender and non-gender barriers to win the prestigious office of Punjab chief minister.
Maryam’s feat is a watershed moment in Pakistani history, as she becomes the first woman to hold the top post in the country’s most populous province in over 75 years.
The political scion will now take the coveted seat after winning the elections with the support of 220 members of the provincial assembly. Interestingly, her election as CM was tarnished by a boycott by the opposition, which included the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Holding the positions of senior vice president and chief organiser of the party, the 50-year-old plays a significant role in setting the PML-N’s future direction.
