Marriyum Aurangzeb to assist Maryam Nawaz in Punjab

LAHORE: Marriyum Aurangzeb took oath as a member of Punjab Assembly after the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership decided that she would be better suited to assist PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz once she is elected as the chief minister.

Following consultation, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and President Shehbaz Sharif took this decision.

This is the first time Marriyum has been sworn in as an MPA in the provincial assembly. She has been elected as a National Assembly member twice on a reserved seat and appointed as federal information minister as many times.

After the February 8 general elections, the Punjab Assembly held its maiden session on Friday (today), wherein the newly elected members were sworn in.

While elections are yet to take place for the leader of the House in the Punjab Assembly, the PML-N has started preparing Maryam for the chief minister's slot as the party has a clear majority in the provincial legislature.

Earlier this week, Maryam chaired a parliamentary meeting attended by 218 Punjab MPAs, at the Jati Umra in Lahore, including independent members, PML-N MPAs as well as members nominated for reserved seats, the sources said adding that Maryam presided over the said meeting.

The sources said 137 successful candidates of PML-N, 58 women nominated for reserved seats and more than 22 independent members, who joined the PML-N after the elections, were present in the meeting.