LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz is all set to lead the party’s election drive in connection with the July 17 by-elections in Punjab’s 20 constituencies.

Sources in the PML-N said Maryam is scheduled to start visit of the constituencies from Saturday (July 2). She is expected to run the bye-election drive of the PML-N candidates in Lahore on July 3 & 4.

It may be noted that the 20 seats of the Punjab Assembly fell vacant after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-seated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s members for voting Hamza Shahbaz in the election for Punjab Chief Minister.

As per statistics, the PML-N has 166 seats in the Punjab Assembly and having the support of seven members of the PPP, three independent members and one member of the Rah-e-Haq Party. Thus, the strength of the ruling coalition in the Punjab Assembly is 177. The current ruling coalition in the Punjab Assembly has a majority of only four votes at present with 172 members.

In this context, bye-elections being held on July 17 for 20 PA seats are of paramount importance. If PTI wins 13 of these seats, it can easily form a government in Punjab once again.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022