Maryam Nawaz provincial government

Last updated
Maryam Nawaz provincial government
Flag of Punjab.svg
Cabinet of Punjab, Pakistan
2024 - present
Date formed6 March 2024
People and organisations
Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan
Baligh Ur Rehman
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz
Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb (De facto)
No. of ministers19 Cabinet Ministers
Total no. of members20
Member parties  PMLN

  PPP

  PML (Q)
  IPP
  PML (Z)
Status in legislature Punjab Assembly
236 / 371 (64%)
Opposition party  SIC
  TLP
  MWM
[a]
Opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar [2]
History
Election 2024 Punjab provincial election
Legislature term5 years
Predecessor Second Parvez Elahi provincial government
Mohsin Naqvi government (caretaker)

The Maryam Nawaz provincial government is the Provincial Cabinet of Punjab, Pakistan headed by the present Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz. The oath-taking ceremony of Maryam as Chief Minister was held on 25 February 2024. [3] The 18-member cabinet ministers took oath on 6 March. [4]

Contents

Marriyum Aurangzeb was made a senior minister, [5] virtually making her the deputy chief minister of Punjab. [6] Reportedly, due to Maryam Nawaz's lack of parliamentary experience, Aurangzeb, instead of being assigned to the Federal Government, was transferred to the Punjab government to assist Maryam in handling the provincial government’s affairs. [7] This also caused a stir among the PML-N MPAs in Punjab Assembly. [8]

Reportedly, Maryam's father Nawaz Sharif, endorsed the selection of cabinet ministers, [9] whom Maryam also referred to as her mentor. [3]

History

Inauguration

Provincial elections were held in Punjab on 8 February 2024 to elect 18th Provincial Assembly of the Punjab. Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) won 137 out of total 297 direct seats in the Punjab Assembly. [10] Later, 23 independent candidates who won direct seats also joined PML-N. [11]

On 26 February 2024, Senior Vice President of PML-N and MPA Maryam Nawaz was elected by the PML-N legislative members as their leader in the assembly and later, the same day she took oath as the Chief Minister in the Punjab government in a public ceremony in Lahore. [3] On 6 March, an 18-member provincial cabinet of Chief Minister Maryam, was sworn in. [4] Maryam relative Bilal Yasin was made the Minister for Food while her close associate Faisal Ayub Khokhar, was given the portfolio of the Sports Affairs ministry. [6]

She also appointed three ministers from her uncle Shahbaz Sharif’s third provincial Punjab cabinet namely, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Khawaja Salman Rafique, and Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman. [6] The cabinet comprised two female ministers; Marriyum Aurangzeb and Azma Bukhari, and two ministers from Non-Muslim community; Khalil Tahir Sandhu and Ramesh Singh Arora. [12]

Major decisions

Shortly after assuming office as Chief Minister, Maryam announced the establishment of first public cancer hospital to be built in Lahore. [13] She launched various initiatives such as Ramadan Nigehban (Guardian Ramadan) Package to deliver essential food items to the needy people before the start of Ramadan, [14] Suthra Punjab (Clean Punjab) campaign to cleanup whole of Punjab within a month, [15] Sarkain Bahal Punjab Khushhaal project to construct, repair and rehabilitate roads in Punjab, Never Again to eliminate violence against women, [16] and Apni Chat Apna Ghar project to provide homes for the poor. [17]

On 11 March, she approved the procurement of 657 environment-friendly buses for the urban areas of Punjab and 20,000 electric bikes. [18] [19] These 20,000 e-bikes were intended for students on "easy" installment plans. [20] On 12 March, she approved the construction of 21-storey Arfa Karim Tower-II as well setting up 516 free Wi-Fi points in Lahore. [21] On 12 March, the Punjab Emergency Services Department announced plans to launch an air ambulance service in Punjab, a project proposed by Maryam. [22]

On 18 March, the Punjab cabinet, chaired by Maryam Nawaz, presented its inaugural budget of Rs4,480 billion for a specific period of three months (April to June) for the fiscal year 2023-24. [23] Questions were raised over how Nawaz Sharif, a National Assembly member without any official position in the provincial or federal government, could preside over the administrative meetings of the Punjab government and issue directives. Despite lacking an official role, it was widely perceived that he was heavily influential in major decision-making processes. [24] Subsequently, a petition was lodged in the Lahore High Court against Nawaz Sharif for presiding over three consecutive administrative meetings of the provincial government. [25]

On 5 April, Maryam announced plans for the establishment of a transgender school at the division level in Punjab and has directed the relevant authorities to ensure the provision of educational facilities for special children in at least one government school within each district of Punjab. [26]

List of Members of Cabinet

Sr. No.NameConstituencyPortfolioAssumed officePartyRef
Chief Minister
1 Maryam Nawaz

(Chief Minister)

PP-159 (Lahore-XV) All other portfolios 26 February 2024 PMLN [27]
Ministers
2 Marriyum Aurangzeb

(Senior Minister)

W-300 (Reserved seat for women)1. Planning and Development
2. Environment Protection and Climate Change
3. Forestry, Fisheries & Wildlife
4. Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives		6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
3 Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman PP-148 (Lahore-IV) Finance 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
4 Ashiq Husain Khan PP-186 (Okara-II) Agriculture 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
5 Kazim Ali Pirzada PP-245 (Bahawalpur-I) Irrigation 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
6 Rana Sikandar Hayat PP-183 (Kasur-IX) School Education 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
7 Khawaja Imran Nazir PP-150 (Lahore-VI)Primary & Secondary Health Care6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
8 Khawaja Salman Rafique PP-153 (Lahore-IX)1. Specialized Healthcare & Medical Education

2. Punjab Emergency Services

6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
9 Zeeshan Rafiq PP-51 (Sialkot-VIII)Local Government and Community Development6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
10 Bilal Akbar Khan PP-58 (Narowal-V)Transport and Mass Transit6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
11 Sohaib Ahmad Malik PP-71 (Sargodha-I) Communication and Works 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
12 Azma Bukhari W-301 (Reserved seat for women) Information 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
13 Bilal Yasin PP-174 (Lahore-XXX) Food 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
14 Ramesh Singh Arora NM-366 (Reserved seat for minorities) Minorities Affairs 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
15 Khalil Tahir Sandhu NM-367 (Reserved seat for minorities)1. Human Rights 6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
2. Parliamentary Affairs7 March 2024
16 Faisal Ayub PP-168 (Lahore-XXIV)Sports6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
17 Shafay Hussain PP-31 (Gujrat-V) Industries, Commerce & Investment 6 March 2024 PML(Q) [28]
18 Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani PP-293 (Rajanpur-II)Mines & Minerals6 March 2024 PMLN [28]
19 Sohail Shaukat Butt PP-151 (Lahore-VII)Bait-ul-Maal & Social Welfare6 March 2024 PMLN [28]

On March 19, Maryam Nawaz appointed Saima Farooq as her personal secretary, and Zeeshan Ashiq Malik was named special assistant for political matters, tasked with handling all political affairs on behalf of Maryam. [29]

Reception

Since no woman had occupied a top federal or provincial government position since the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Maryam's candidacy for the position of Punjab Chief Minister was perceived as a notable development by some segments of the population. [30] Her supporters argue that her election as Pakistan's first female chief minister symbolizes the overcoming of patriarchal norms and a step forward for gender equality in Pakistani politics. However, her critics argue that her rise to this position is mainly due to dynastic politics rather than her personal merit. [31]

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party that won the second-most seats in Punjab dismissed Maryam Nawaz’s government as ‘unconstitutional’ and labelled Maryam herself as a ‘fake chief minister’ due to her being on a stolen mandate. PTI and opposition to Maryam has challenged her election as rigged. PTI has provided evidence claiming that it won the 2024 Punjab provincial election and defeated the PML (N), and they claim the results were changed to favor Maryam Nawaz. Maryam was also accused of only prioritizing the Sharif family’s wealth while in power. PTI said the Maryam ministry would ‘collapse under its own weight’ due it being formed on the basis of rigging. [32] They also announced to establish a shadow cabinet in Punjab, tasked with overseeing the performance of the provincial government across various administrative departments. [33] On 21 March Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur demanded the resignations of the federal and Punjab governments, alleging electoral fraud in Maryam's appointment as Chief Minister. He labeled her government as illegitimate and urged her to respect the limits of her authority. [34]

The Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar stated that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was a ‘TikToker’ due to her bad governance policies. [35] PTI leader and opposition politician in the National Assembly, Sher Afzal Marwat has accused Maryam Nawaz’s government of hiring gunmen to assassinate him. [36] Pakistani journalist Imran Riaz Khan has alleged that Maryam Nawaz was a key figure behind his arrest and said that she is being made the chief minister after stealing the people’s votes. [37]

In April 2024, following Maryam's accusation that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was supplying metal kite strings to Punjab, PTI leaders condemned Maryam's remarks about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and suggested that the Sharif family had a history of animosity towards the province. [38]

Notes

  1. ↑ 75 opposition members are Sunni Ittehad Council members while 29 opposition members are Sunni Ittehad Council members. [1]

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.dawn.com/news/1848772
  2. ↑ "SIC nominates Bachar as temporary opposition leader in Punjab Assembly". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "In a historic move, Maryam Nawaz takes oath as first female Punjab CM". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  4. 1 2 "18-member Punjab cabinet takes oath". The Express Tribune. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  5. ↑ "New 17-member Punjab cabinet takes oath". www.thenews.com.pk. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 "Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinets sworn in". DAWN.COM. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  7. ↑ "PML-N lines up bigwigs to aid CM Maryam". The Express Tribune. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  8. ↑ Tahir, Zulqernain (24 February 2024). "Nawaz attaches Marriyum Aurangzeb with daughter for assistance". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Punjab Cabinet Ministers To Take Oath Today". The Friday Times. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  10. ↑ "Punjab Assembly results: PTI-backed independents secures 138 seats, PML-N follows with 137". 10 February 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "Independents demand share in Punjab cabinet". The Express Tribune. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  12. ↑ "Punjab's 18-member cabinet sworn in". www.thenews.com.pk. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  13. ↑ "CM announces establishment of first public cancer hospital in Punjab". The Nation. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  14. ↑ Desk, NNPS (3 March 2024). "Punjab CM's Ramadan Nigehban package gains applause on first day of launch".{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  15. ↑ "Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz launches "Suthra Punjab" project to clean province". 28 February 2024. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Maryam Nawaz announces 'Sarkein Bahal, Punjab Khushhal' programme". The Nation. 5 March 2024.
  17. ↑ Desk, Web (5 March 2024). "'Apni Chat Apna Ghar': CM Maryam launches housing project in Punjab". ARY NEWS.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  18. ↑ Desk, Web (2024-03-11). "CM Maryam Nawaz approves 657 passenger buses for Punjab". ARY NEWS. Retrieved 2024-03-12.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. ↑ "Punjab govt approves environment-friendly urban bus project". Dunya News. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  20. ↑ "Punjab CM Maryam okays 20,000 electric bikes for students on easy installments". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "Lahore to get another Arfa Karim Tower". The Nation. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  22. ↑ "PES plans to launch air ambulance service". The Express Tribune. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  23. ↑ Hasnain, Khalid (19 March 2024). "Punjab's three-month budget focuses on health, IT, agriculture". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  24. ↑ Tahir, Zulqernain (19 March 2024). "Questions raised as MNA Nawaz chairs Punjab govt meetings". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  25. ↑ Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (21 March 2024). "Plea filed against Nawaz for chairing official meetings in Punjab". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  26. ↑ Gabol, Imran (6 April 2024). "Punjab govt to open transgender schools in each division: CM". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  27. ↑ "18-member Punjab cabinet takes oath". Samaa Tv. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Punjab Cabinet". Punjab Assembly. Archived from the original on 2024-03-07. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  29. ↑ Desk, Web (19 March 2024). "Saima Farooq appointed as personal secretary of CM Punjab". GNN - Pakistan's Largest News Portal. Retrieved 19 March 2024.{{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  30. ↑ "Transforming Gender Equality In Pakistani Politics". The Friday Times. 22 February 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  31. ↑ "Dynastic Politics: A Paradoxical Enabler Of Inclusion?". The Friday Times. 3 March 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  32. ↑ news.desk (2024-02-26). "PTI dismisses Maryam as 'fake CM'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  33. ↑ Malik, Mansoor (12 March 2024). "PTI plans shadow cabinet to monitor Punjab govt". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  34. ↑ "Maryam Nawaz became CM Punjab through 'electoral fraud': Gandapur". 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  35. ↑ Yasif, Rana (2024-07-20). "PTI sets stage for dual rallies in Lahore and Islamabad on August 14". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  36. ↑ "Marwat accuses Maryam Nawaz of 'hiring guns to assassination him'". 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  37. ↑ Bilal, Rana (2024-02-23). "Anchorperson Imran Riaz sent to jail in corruption case following late-night arrest". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  38. ↑ Junaidi, Ikram (7 April 2024). "PTI hits out at CM Maryam for remarks against KP". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
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