The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N’s) decisive victory in the by-election has established it as the most popular party in Pakistan. PML-N won all of the 10 Punjab Assembly (PA) and two National Assembly seats from Punjab vacated by its candidates after the 8 February general election. Additionally, PML-N-supported candidates from its coalition partners, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and Pakistan Muslim League secured one PA seat each from Shahdara and Gujrat, respectively. Other parties also retained the seats vacated by their candidates, indicating the elections was fair.
The by-election victory has given a big boost to the party’s morale and culled rumours about the party’s capacity to deliver on its electoral manifesto. This success can be attributed to the remarkable performance of the newly-elected Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz.
The by-election victory has given a big boost to the party’s morale and culled rumours about the party’s capacity to deliver on its electoral manifesto.
Maryam Nawaz’s tenure as chief minister of Punjab exemplified a remarkable continuation of her family’s political legacy, marked by a swift and impactful initiation of welfare projects upon assuming office. Under her leadership, the administration achieved notable control over inflation, providing substantial relief to citizens. The revamping and enhancement of basic health facilities underscored a dedicated focus on public welfare and health, crucial for societal well-being.
Furthermore, her innovative initiative to provide students with e-bikes for personal transportation demonstrated a forward-thinking approach to empowering the youth and enhancing accessibility. Maryam Nawaz’s efforts also extended to rebuilding trust between the government and the people, fostering a renewed sense of confidence and connection within the community. These transformative endeavours played a role in paving the path towards victory in the by-election, showcasing the significance of responsive governance and people’s trust in the new chief minister’s ability to deliver.
In addition to Maryam Nawaz’s performance, the by-election result also reflects a highly successful electoral campaign. The PML-N leadership concentrated on all aspects of the electoral contest. It made door-to-door contact with the public, listened to their issues and took the initiative to resolve them. On election day, getting people to the polling stations was another task which the party did remarkably well. Its opponents were disappointed when they failed to clinch any of the 23 national and provincial assembly seats vacated by PML-N candidates after the general election.
This victory can be attributed to the remarkable performance of the newly-elected chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz.
The aftermath of the 2024 general elections saw the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) facing challenges in proving its public mandate. Rather than gracefully accepting the electoral outcome, PTI’s leadership resorted to familiar tactics of alleging rigging, which only served to undermine the democratic process. It became evident that the real target of these manoeuvres was Mian Nawaz Sharif, whose influential presence the backstage players sought to diminish.
Despite the PML-N initially trailing in polling recounts, PTI’s leveraging of establishment influence halted the process, revealing a double standard between PTI’s public stance and their behind the scenes actions. This hypocrisy was further exposed as PTI decried systemic injustice while benefitting from the same system. The subsequent by-elections, however, provided a different narrative, as PML-N’s victories raised significant questions about the legitimacy of the general election results.
In the face of these political manoeuvres, the PML-N’s resilience was evident as they persevered to uphold national stability, even at personal cost. The by-elections underscored public sentiment, with clear support shown for PML-N’s brief but impactful governance. The two-month tenure of the PML-N government resonated positively with the electorate, highlighting a preference for their approach to governance.
The writer holds an MA in Political Science from the Government College University and an LLB from the University of the Punjab.