LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz on Monday scripted history when she was sworn in as the first woman Chief Minister of Punjab, breaking the glass ceiling in a political terrain traditionally dominated by male politicians.
The 2024 general elections marked the electoral debut of Maryam Nawaz. In January 2023, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif appointed her as the senior vice-president of the party and was tasked with restructuring the party.
Maryam was elected as MNA from NA-119 constituency and MPA from PP-159 in NA-123 constituency. Following a party directive, she decided to retain the PP-159 seat, paving the way for her elevation to the post of Punjab Chief Minister.
However, this was not the Sharif scion’s inaugural venture into Pakistan’s political landscape. She was actively involved in the party’s election campaign before the 2013 elections and also headed the PML-N’s social media wing during and after the elections.
In 2014, she assumed the role of Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, later challenged by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and subsequently resigned. Despite not holding any elected office, she was seen distributing laptops to students on behalf of the Punjab government. In 2016, during the open heart surgery of former prime minister and her father Nawaz Sharif, Maryam took control of the media narrative and provided timely updates about her. father’s status via his Twitter account. Maryam faced scrutiny over her control over government news, especially when leaked audio clips revealed her instructing then-Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed on advertisements for certain TV channels.
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She acknowledged the authenticity of the clip and clarified that she was referring to party ads. Maryam Nawaz’s electoral skills were put to the test in September 2017 during the NA-120 by-election where she campaigned for her ailing mother Kulsoom Nawaz. , securing victory by a greatly reduced margin.
This was 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 really signaled a triumph for the embattled PML-N.
This constituency has been a stronghold of the party and the Sharif family for a long time, spanning almost three decades. Political observers noted a positive shift in a party known for its conservative social ethos and lack of women in prominent party and government roles. But they point out that her otherwise positive rise is still colored by family ties in a political landscape steeped in dynastic traditions.
Acknowledging the challenges she faced, Maryam admitted, “The journey has been harder than I imagined.” During an interview with VOA, she highlighted the increased criticism women face in the spotlight, especially in leadership positions, compared to their male counterparts.” If a woman has developed ideals, principles, ideologies, beliefs, values and wants to carve out a niche for herself, it will always be viewed with a little suspicion,” she noted.
Despite opposition from the party ranks, Maryam expressed that she was “pleasantly surprised” by the acceptance she found among the Pakistani people. Regardless of whether “the people” accepted her, it was clear that her rise came at a significant cost—both on a personal level for Maryam and for the party.
The speed of her rise did not impress many stalwarts in the party, especially in a male-dominated political landscape where women held rare leadership roles.
