PML-N fields Maryam in Lahore's NA-127

LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, is all set to make her electoral debut from Lahore’s NA-127 constituency. 

The PML-N has given the go-ahead to the former first daughter to test her luck on a National Assembly seat NA-127 and provincial assembly seat PP-173.

She had earlier filed nomination papers for two NA seats – NA-125 and NA-127 and one provincial assembly seat PP-173.

PML-N’s Pervaiz Malik had defeated PTI’s Atif Chaudhry on NA-127 (previously NA-123) after bagging more than 125, 000 votes in the general elections of 2013.

PTI’s Jamshed Iqbal Cheema will face off the PML-N leader this time in the constituency which is considered one of the former ruling party’s strongholds.

NA-125 which was previously NA-120 is the constituency from where Begum Kulsoom Nawaz won by-election in October, last year.

After a fierce contest between the candidates of the two rival political parties, Kulsoom, the former premier’s wife who is undergoing cancer treatment in London, had won back her husband’s seat after his disqualification, defeating PTI’s Dr Yasmin Rashid.

NA-120 seat had fallen vacant after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification by the Supreme Court on July 28, 2017.

In the 2013 polls, Sharif had contested and won this NA seat.He was first elected by this constituency during the elections in 1985 held under Gen Zial ul Haq. Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan People’s Party and other opponents of the military regime had boycotted the non-party elections.