LAHORE - Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s ascension to the Punjab throne as the first woman chief minister of the largest province brings with it both challenges and opportunities for the Sharif dynasty and the future politics of the PML-N, a party now struggling to save its politics with eroding support from the masses.
Now as Maryam Nawaz has emerged as a new political face of the party and heir to the Sharif family, she confronts a formidable opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the challenging task of sustaining the administrative legacy of her uncle, ex-Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif who earned for himself the title of “Punjab Speed” for his speedy execution of development work and administrative reforms. Shehbaz Sharif has left behind a patrimony of good governance and development initiatives for Maryam Nawaz to take inspiration from. As she lacks the governance experience, it would be a challenge and test of her abilities to control the unbridled police and the bureaucracy known for its red-tape tactics over the years.