ISLAMABAD: In a significant development for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ahead of the upcoming nationwide polls, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehr Muhammad Waseem has declared his withdrawal in favor of PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz from Lahore’s NA-119 on Sunday.
As the election campaigns of all political parties, armed with appeasing manifestos and promises, intensify across the country leading up to the February 8 vote, PML-N and PPP are fervently vying for the premier’s office, striving to sway voters in their favor.
The PTI candidate, after meeting with Maryam, not only announced his withdrawal in her favor but also revealed his decision to join PML-N along with his supporters.
The meeting, attended by central PML-N leaders including Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Khawaja Imran Nazir, and others, set the stage for Mehr’s formal announcement of joining the Nawaz-led party during an election rally scheduled for January 25, led by Maryam.
The PML-N chief organizer extended a warm welcome to Mehr and his supporters for joining her party.
Furthermore, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) faced a setback in Lahore as its local office bearers, including the chairman, vice chairman, and zakat committee’s head, along with loyalists, joined the PML-N on the same day.
During the meeting, Maryam emphasized that more individuals have joined the PML-N’s mission for Pakistan’s progress and prosperity, particularly after the country endured adverse consequences under ineligible rulers from 2018 to 2022.
She asserted that the nation is well aware of politicians who genuinely served them and those who pursued a path of political vengeance. Maryam highlighted the resilience of Nawaz, Shehbaz, and PML-N workers, stating that they have emerged victorious after facing challenging times.
Maryam announced that her party has devised a comprehensive plan solely focused on serving the nation once elected to power.
Launching the electioneering formally, Maryam addressed PML-N’s campaign team in the NA-119 constituency in the presence of central leaders and office bearers. She pledged to take full responsibility for each family in her constituency and declared her intention to meet voters in Lahore’s NA-119 on the 25th.
The PML-N senior VP predicted a resounding victory for the “lion” across the country after the February 8 polls, asserting that no one would be able to defeat her party.
With the party supremo back in Pakistan after almost four years of exile, the PML-N believes it has received a much-needed boost, especially considering the lackluster performance during the 16-month tenure of the coalition government headed by Shehbaz.
The PML-N has fielded 208 candidates for the 266 National Assembly general seats up for grabs. Overall, for the five legislatures, the PML-N has issued 671 tickets out of the 859 seats available.
