On Monday, Pakistan's Punjab province will witness a contest for the chief minister position between Maryam Nawaz, nominated by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Rana Aftab, nominated by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). The nomination papers of both candidates were deemed valid after scrutiny.
Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, expressed her commitment to fulfill the expectations of the people. The election will be held during the assembly session on Tuesday. Nawaz is likely to secure the position due to the PML-N's majority in the assembly.
Nawaz pledged to become the first female chief minister of Punjab, dedicating the honor to all women in the country. She also outlined a five-year plan to usher in a new era for the province.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominated Rana Aftab as its candidate after an attempt by provincial police to arrest its previous nominee, Mian Aslam Iqbal. PTI leader Hammad Azhar claimed that police forces were deployed outside the Punjab Assembly to apprehend Iqbal.