ECP notifies victory of Nawaz Sharif, four other PML-N leaders

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday declared five prominent Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leaders successful in the general election 2024, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The ECP in a notice announced the victory of the five PML-N leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, and Attaullah Tarar.

As per the ECP’s notification, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif secured success in NA-118 Lahore, Maryam Nawaz achieved victory in NA-119 Lahore, and Shehbaz Sharif received the declaration of success in NA-123 Lahore.

Similarly, PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar was declared successful from NA-127 Lahore, along with PML-N’s supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif who emerged successful from NA-130, as officially declared in the notification.

In another development, the PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif said that his party will gladly sit in the opposition if PTI-backed independent candidates show majority and form a government in the Centre.

“If PTI-sponsored independent candidates can show a majority, then we will gladly sit in opposition benches and play our constitutional role,” the former prime minister said while addressing a press conference in Lahore.

However, Shehbaz Sharif said, if they fail to form government then then other political parties have the right to form a government – which according to him is the “legal and democratic way to do things”.

He pointed out that PML-N had emerged as the “biggest political party” after the February 8 general elections.

He acknowledged that independent candidates had garnered more votes, saying that if one counts independent candidates, then obviously their number is greater. “You cannot dispute the facts. But in political parties, the PML-N is number one”, he added.

The PML-N president said that since the results of the elections had been released, it was now time to move onto to the next phase. He urged political forces to put their differences aside and join hands to help tackle the challenges, being faced by Pakistan.

Despite PML-N failing to secure a majority in the elections, Shehbaz Sharif said Nawaz Sharif is still the party’s candidate for prime minister’s slot. “I am still standing by my words that Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister for the fourth time,” he added.