Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz owns assets worth more than Rs842.58 million, Geo News reported on Thursday.
According to details submitted by Maryam Nawaz alongside her nomination papers, she owns 1500 kanal land in Lahore. Her assets increased by Rs4 million in one year.
As per the submitted documents, Maryam Nawaz has a degree of masters in English literature. She doesn’t own a vehicle. She also has to give more than Rs 28.9 million to her brother Hassan Nawaz.
The PML-N senior vice president also has Rs 10 million in different bank accounts, as well as shares worth Rs 12.2 million in different companies.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) approved Maryam Nawaz’s papers from multiple constituencies in Lahore and Sargodha.
The scion of the Sharif family had submitted nomination papers for two National Assembly constituencies—NA-119 and NA-120—and four Punjab Assembly constituencies—PP-159, PP-160, PP-165, and PP-80.
Chief Justice of Pakistan, Qazi Faez Isa, has announced that the Supreme Court (SC) aims to finalise the proceedings on the lifetime disqualification case by January 4 (Thursday). This significant decision will determine whether the Election Act 2017 amendment aligns with Article 62(1)(F) and establishes whether lawmakers’ disqualification from contesting polls should be lifelong or limited to five years.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) addressed the matter of lifetime disqualification of lawmakers today.
A seven-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, and Justice Musarrat Hilali.
During the hearing of a case submitted by former PML-N provincial member Sardar Meer Badshah Khan Qaisrani last month, the top court noted discrepancies over the length of disqualification in the Election Act, 2017 and a Supreme Court ruling.
The apex court noted that there is a contradiction regarding the duration of disqualification in the Election Act, 2017 and a SC verdict.
In 2007, Meer Badshah Qaisrani filed a petition against his lifetime disqualification over a fake degree.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Muhammad Zubair revealed on Sunday that his role in the party is limited now as the party doesn’t consult him while taking decisions.
Acknowledging that country is heading towards the much-awaited general election, set to take place on February 8, 2024, Zubair said that he is in PML-N, “just like Abbasi.”
The quote was in reference to former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who is also at odds with the party. Ex-federal minister Miftah Ismail has also been sidelined.
Muhammad Zubair said while speaking on the Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan” on Sunday, “I think, I am in the PML-N. I am in [the party] just like Abbasi is,” he added, as Abbasi had stepped down from the party office soon after the appointment of Maryam Nawaz as senior vice president and chief organiser.
The PML-N leader also said that he supported the party with full energy from 2013 to 2018. “I stood firm with the party when a difficult time came in 2017 after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif.”
In all honesty, 2023 was more like a crazy roller coaster than a democratic process when it comes to Pakistani politics. Here are some of the significant events that happened this year:
Assemblies dissolved
On January 14, 2023, the provincial assembly of Punjab was dissolved while on January 16, 2023, Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was dissolved as former Prime Minister Imran Khan was pushing for early national elections.
May 9
On May 9, 2023, former prime minister and founder chairman of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan was submitting his biometric data for a court appearance when paramilitary forces broke down a window inside the court to get to apprehend him.
The dramatic and sudden arrest of the former cricket star turned leader resulted in violent clashes between supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and law enforcement agencies protests to mark the arrest of the former Prime Minister turned into riots.
Several military installations, including GHQ and the Lahore corps commander’s official residence, were attacked across the country within hours of Imran Khan’s detention.
May 9, termed a “black day” by the Pakistani state, ended up provoking a harsh military crackdown on Khan’s party.
PTI Dismantled
Thousands of PTI members, including many women, were rounded up and arrested after May 9 riots.
More than two dozen members of PTI resigned from the politics following the protests.
Notable figures like Shireen Mazari, Asad Umer, Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Fawad Chaudhry, Maleeka Bokhari, Abrar ul Haq, Murad Ras, Ali Haider Zaidi, Imran Islamil, Usman Dar, Farrukh Habib, Sadaqat Ali Abbasi, Andleeb Abbas, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Shaukat Tarin and others either left PTI or quit politics.
Imran Khan Jailed
Police arrested Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Lahore on August 5, 2023, after a court sentenced him to three years in prison for illegally selling state gifts, potentially barring the opposition leader from contesting an upcoming election.
On September 26, 2023, Imran Khan was shifted to the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi from Attock prison, a day after the Islamabad High Court ordered authorities to relocate him to the high-security jail.
Qazi Faez Isa
On September 17, 2023, Justice Qazi Faez Isa was sworn in as the 29th chief justice of Pakistan.
A ceremony was held at Aiwan-i-Sadr in Islamabad during which President Arif Alvi administered the oath of office. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir were also present.
Justice Isa was accompanied by his wife, Sarina Isa, while he was taking oath.
Imran Riaz ‘safely’ returns
On the evening of May 11, 2023, police arrested Imran Riaz Khan, a former anchor with the privately owned broadcaster Express News and host of a YouTube channel with over three million subscribers.
Imran Riaz Khan, often called Imran Riaz, was trying to flee the country over fears of his arrest. At the time, authorities accused him of inciting people to violence through his reporting.
He was said to have been freed a few days later, but there was no trace of him and police denied keeping him in custody.
On September 25, 2023, his lawyer Mian Ali Ashfaq took to X (former Tiwtter) and posted a picture of Imran Riaz, after his return, stating that the recovery took a long time due to “countless difficulties, a weak judiciary” and the ineffectiveness of the Constitution. He also shared a photo of him with Khan.
The rift between Zardari and Bilawal
On November 23, 2023, the former president of Pakistan and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari‘s father, Asif Ali Zardari, during an exclusive interview with Hamid Mir on Geo News’ program “Capital Talk”, said that Bilawal is “inexperienced” and that it would take some time for him to gain more exposure, on Thursday.
“Bilawal is much more talented than I am, but he isn’t experienced,” he said.
On November 24, 2023, in a seeming act of defiance to his father, Bilawal changed his profile picture on X on Friday afternoon, to a photo with his mother Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister and head of the PPP till her assassination in 2017.
PPP denied all the claims of a rift between the father-son duo.
Afghan Refugees Repatriation
On October 3, 2023, Pakistan’s caretaker government announced it would carry out mass deportations — known under domestic law as an Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan — asking all concerned to leave the country before 1 November. Although the plan purported to apply to all foreigners residing in the country illegally, it appears designed to target Afghans, millions of whom have sought refuge in Pakistan over the years.
As of December 29, 2023, the total number of allegedly illegal Afghans who left Pakistan reached 453,480 and the process is still underway.
Nawaz Sharif Returns
On October 21, 2023, Pakistan’s thrice-elected former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan, ending four years of self-imposed exile in London.
Nawaz Sharif was disqualified when the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) announced its decision on July 28, 2017, in the Panama Papers case. After that, Nawaz Sharif and three of his children were referred to an accountability court, which was ordered to file corruption cases against Sharif’s family within six weeks.
In July 2018, the expelled prime minister was imprisoned for 10 years in the Avenfield properties corruption case, an assets-beyond-means trial.
In the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case, the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail on December 24, 2018. Nawaz Sharif was taken to Adiala jail in this case, and then he was shifted to Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail on the very next day. He was also fined Rs1.5 billion and US$25 million in this case.
The former prime minister was released from jail in March 2019. After that, the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Nawaz Sharif to go to London for treatment for fast-depleting platelet levels, and then he left for London in November 2019.
Elections Date Announced
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced on November 3, 2023, that 8th February 2024 is the poll date for the General Elections for the National Assembly of Pakistan and Provincial assemblies of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The date was announced by the President House in a statement following a meeting between the top election officials and President Alvi, hours after the election commission lawyer told the Supreme Court that elections will be held on February 11.
PTI New Chairman
On December 2, 2023, The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) on Saturday elected Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as the new chairman in the intra-party elections held on the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Gohar won the chairman’s position unopposed.
The change was forced on the party after the Election Commission of Pakistan warned the PTI last month that it risked losing its emblem – a cricket bat – unless an internal ballot was held for party officers.
Election symbols are crucial in a country where the adult literacy rate is 58 percent, according to World Bank data.
Baloch Long March
Demanding the release of all “missing persons” and an end to “extrajudicial killing” in Balochistan under the leadership of activist Dr Mahrang Baloch and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the march started in Turbat, Balochistan, on December 6 after the alleged extrajudicial killing of 24-year-old Balach Baloch.
According to BYC, when the march reached the capital, the city administration didn’t allow them to protest in front of the press club. Maharng Baloch said in her live video from the Facebook page of BYC that Islamabad police arrested 300 male protesters, eight women, and 10 children.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif received clearance on Friday to take part in the upcoming general elections, set to take place on February 8, 2024, from the NA-15 (Mansehra-II) constituency, despite objections raised by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as per The News.
Hajra Sami, the Returning Officer (RO), rejected the objections raised by PTI leaders and declared the nomination papers of the former prime minister valid according to the rules of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
“The scrutiny process of the nomination papers of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif has been completed, and all objections raised by PTI leader Azam Khan Swati and two others have been set aside, and he has been declared eligible to contest elections from here,” Jahangir Jadoon, the legal advisor to Nawaz Sharif, told reporters outside the RO offices.
Sami reviewed the concerns raised by PTI senators Azam Khan Swati, Shahid Rafique, and Zakria Tariq in the presence of PML-N and PTI lawyers and leaders. After that, the RO gave clearance to Nawaz Sharif.
The PTI legal team, headed by Waqar Khan Jehangira and Amir Shah, and the PML-N team, led by Jadoon, presented their arguments for two hours.
“Nawaz Sharif is disqualified for holding any public office or contesting general elections by the Supreme Court’s five-member bench, so that he is not eligible to run in Feb 8, general elections from NA-15,” PTI’s counsel Waqar Khan Jehangiri told the RO during the proceedings.
As the nation gears up for the upcoming general elections, political tensions have intensified in Lodhran district, specifically between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the newly emerged Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP).
Failure to reach a seat adjustment formula between the two parties may result in a challenging electoral battle for Jahangir Tareen, the chief of the IPP, in his native district of NA-155.
Reports from Dawn indicate that Jahangir Tareen, strategically evaluating the situation, has taken preemptive measures by filing nomination papers for NA-149 in Multan as well.
Tareen has submitted papers for two National Assembly seats and four Punjab Assembly seats, indicating a readiness for multiple contingencies.
The primary contender against Tareen, PML-N’s Abdul Rehman Kanju, has publicly opposed any seat adjustment with the IPP. Kanju has urged the party leadership not to impose such an arrangement, potentially setting the stage for fierce competition in Lodhran.
Amid this uncertainty, 14 candidates have submitted their nomination papers for NA-154 (Lodhran), including notable figures such as Abdul Rehman Kanju and Imtiaz Begum.
Meanwhile, 14 candidates who submitted their nomination papers from NA-154 (Lodhran) include PML-N divisional president and ex-interior state minister Abdul Rehman Kanju, and his mother Imtiaz Begum, PTI leader Akhtar Khan Kanju (an uncle of Abdul Rehman Kanju), ex-MNA Nawab Amanullah Khan, Ajmal Khan Kanju, Rana Faraz Noon, Rana Afzal Noon, Pir Raza Shah, Imdadullah Abbasi of PPP, Sohail Khan Kanju, Muhammad Zubair, Zafar Iqbal, Irfan Ahmed and Ismat Bibi.
As many as 20 candidates have filed papers from NA-155, including Jahangir Tareen, former MNA Siddique Khan Baloch, ex-MNA of PTI Muhammad Iqbal Shah, his son, ex-MPA Aamir Iqbal Shah, Mudassar Jahanzeb Shah, Rana Muhammad Rafiq of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Shah Nawaz of the PPP, Ziaul Rehman Tamimi of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Sajid Iqbal of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, Saleem Abbas of Saraiki Democratic Alliance, Muhammad Akram Qaiser, Muhammad Qasim, Ghulam Mustafa, Wasim Ahmed, Ahmed Deen Malik, and Nafees Murad Meo.
A total of 19 candidates have filed papers from provincial assembly constituency PP-225 (Lodhran -1), They include Abdul Rehman Kanju, ex-minister Jail Zawwar Hussain Waraich, ex-MPA Pirzada Jahangir Bhutta, Tahir Hussain Khan, Muhammad Razaq, Muhammad Saleem Akhtar, Ashiq Hussain Baloch, Imran Habib Bhutta, Kaleem Hassan, Ali Hassan, Nadira Hayatullah, Aftab Ali Babar, Muhammad Mubeen, Mumtaz Hussain Baloch, Shazia Hayat Tareen, Intizar Ahmad Attari, Muhammad Yuosuf, Rab Nawaz Khan and Waseem Abbas.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mian Naseer has challenged the nomination papers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from NA-122 Lahore.
The PML-N leader raised an objection to the nomination papers of the former prime minister, saying that Imran Khan is convicted while his sentence is suspended, not over, in the Toshakhana case.
The PML-N leader further said in his objections that the nomination papers of the former prime minister should be rejected due to his conviction.
However, the Returning Officer (RO) said that the decision on Imran Khan’s nomination papers will be made after hearing objections raised.
On the other hand, the scrutiny of the nomination papers of PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and vice president Hamza Shehbaz has been completed.
Objections have also been filed on the nomination papers of PML-N senior vice president Maryam Nawaz for the Punjab Assembly seat PP 80 from Sargodha.
Former Secretary of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad, said on Wednesday that election candidates don’t need to appear before returning officers (ROs) to submit their nomination papers or for scrutiny of papers.
Candidates who are hiding or proclaimed offenders need to appear before ROs to submit their nomination papers; otherwise, their nomination papers will be rejected.
As per Section 62 of the Election Act of 2017, the election candidate is not required to be present at the time of submitting nomination papers.
Kanwar Muhammad Dilshad also said that former President General Pervez Musharraf said in 2002 that a candidate needs to appear before RO to submit their nomination paper.
The election order was illegal as Musharraf was targeting former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif at that time, and he wanted to keep Banazir and Nawaz Sharif out of the elections.
He said that in 2007, the ECP amended the Election Order 2002, after which Bhutto and Sharif did not need to submit their nomination papers and appear in person at the time of scrutiny.
“At the time of scrutiny of nomination papers, the candidate’s election agent, proposer and a voter who has registered an objection under sub-section (1) shall be present. The returning officer shall give him reasonable opportunity of scrutinising all nomination papers. Nowhere in this section is mentioned that the candidate must be present before the returning officer at the time of submission of nomination papers or scrutiny,” he added.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accepted the nomination papers of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif from NA-130 Lahore constituency.
PML-N leader Bilal Yaseen submitted the nomination papers of the former prime minister.
He also confirmed that ECP accepted the papers.
Sharif has submitted nomination papers from Lahore and Mansehra constituencies.
“By the grace of Allah, Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers were accepted from NA-130,” said Bilal Yaseen, adding that ECP has raised no objections as yet.
“Nawaz Sharif will succeed from this constituency in the February 8 elections. He will be elected prime minister of Pakistan for the fourth time,” he added.
Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer, Amjad Parvez, also told the media that “the returning officer has said that everything is complete from your side.”
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) social media team in Gujranwala placed an order for a cake to mark party head Nawaz Sharif’s birthday, but the cake got stolen. The team has accused their candidate of stealing the dessert.
A case has been filed in the police station of Satellite Town in Gujranwala. The FIR states that when the team went to collect the cake, they were informed that the electoral candidate of the party from pp-64 Umer Farooq Dar had forcefully taken the cake already. As they filed the complain with the police, Umer Farooq Dar returned the cake to the bakery but this did not settle the debate as they went on to say it was done intentionally by the candidate and that the matter should be investigated further.
