Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Chief Minister of Punjab
| Date of Birth | : | 28 October, 1973 (Age 52) |
| Place of Birth | : | Lahore, Pakistan |
| Profession | : | Politician |
| Nationality | : | Pakistani |
| Social Profiles | : |
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
|
Maryam Nawaz Sharif (মরিয়ম নওয়াজ) is a Pakistani politician who has served as the 19th chief minister of Punjab since 26 February 2024. She is the first woman to hold the position of chief minister in Pakistan.
Born to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, Punjab in 1973, she began her political career in 2012 when she took charge of the PMLN's election campaign for the 2013 Pakistani general election. Following the election, she was appointed the chairperson of the Prime Minister's Youth Programme in 2013. In 2014, she resigned from the position after her appointment was challenged in the Lahore High Court. After her election to the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab in the 2024 Pakistani general election, Maryam was appointed chief minister of Punjab.
She is a member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, elected from Lahore since February 2024.
Early life and education
Maryam Nawaz Sharif was born on 28 October 1973 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, to Nawaz Sharif and Kulsoom Butt. She is of Punjabi Kashmiri descent and is the eldest of four siblings, including her sister Asma. She received her early education at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Lahore, completing pre-nursery through the 10th grade. She then completed her FSc at Lahore College for Women, graduating in 1991.
After being rejected by Kinnaird College due to academic performance, her father, Nawaz Sharif, then-chief minister of Punjab, intervened by suspending the principal. However, a strike organized by college students and staff led to the principal's reinstatement. Maryam subsequently enrolled in King Edward Medical College (KEMC) in the late 1980s through transfer of certificate with the intention of becoming a medical doctor.
Maryam later enrolled at Fatima Jinnah Medical College in Lahore, but did not complete her medical education, leaving her studies in 1992 after her marriage to Capt. Safdar Awan. She married Safdar Awan at the age of 19. Maryam has three children with Safdar: a son, Junaid, and two daughters, Mahnoor and Mehr-un-Nisa.
Political career
Early political career
Maryam was detained for the first time on 12 October 1999, following the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état led by Gen Pervez Musharraf, which ousted her father, then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Arrested by female members of the Pakistan Army Corps of Military Police, she along with her mother Kulsoom Nawaz and other female members of the Sharif family was promptly transferred to her residence where they were placed under house arrest, in contrast to her father, who was taken to Adiala Jail. In November 1999, she, along with other female members of the Sharif family, was granted release on "humanitarian grounds" at the request of a Arab ruler. Maryam's first notable appearance was in a BBC interview, where she recounted her father's imprisonment by General Pervez Musharraf and appealed for public support for her father Nawaz. She and her mother gained prominence during this period. After being released from a four-month house arrest, she found herself shuttling between prisons, as she listened to the charges of corruption, terrorism, and tax evasion against her father. Later, she, along with 22 members of the Sharif family, was sent into exile in Saudi Arabia. During her long exile, she prioritized her role in raising her children during and also became fluent in Arabic.
Prior to entering politics, she remained involved in the family's philanthropic organisation and served as the chairperson of Sharif Trust, Sharif Medical City, and Sharif Education Institutes since 1997. All of these were established by her grandfather, Muhammad Sharif.
Political positions
Minority rights
Maryam's father Nawaz Sharif ended his exile and returned to Pakistan in 2007 prior to the 2008 Pakistani general election in which her father's party, Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), emerged as one of the two largest parties. During PML-N's government in Punjab, criticisms were leveled against the party for being perceived as soft on terrorism and sectarian groups, and for its inability to improve Punjab's economy. However, Maryam was noted for advocating minority rights and opposing political alliances with banned militant outfits. Maryam expressed regret over the inability of her father's party, PML-N, and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to maintain their short-lived coalition following the election. However Maryam largely refrained from active involvement in politics.
Public image
Maryam is regarded as heir apparent of Nawaz Sharif and the "presumed future leader" of the PML-N.
Dawn wrote she's "known for her biting rhetoric and ability to both pull and rouse a crowd" saying that she has established herself in a political arena largely dominated by men. Experts suggest that Maryam's assertive demeanor could potentially undermine the party's strength, expressing concerns that while she may attract crowds, she might not be suited to lead the party effectively.
In a 2012 interview, Maryam expressed her empathy for the children of Benazir Bhutto and recalled meeting Benazir Bhutto only once, on 14 May 2006 in London, when her father Nawaz and Benazir signed the Charter of Democracy, aimed at ending Musharraf rule in Pakistan. Describing their meeting, Maryam stated that they spoke candidly for three hours, and noted that the Sharif family was deeply saddened by Benazir's assassination in December 2007, shedding tears upon hearing the news of her assassination.
Following Dawn Leaks controversy, during an interview on Geo News program Jirga with Saleem Safi, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan a senior leader of PML-N and then federal interior minister criticized the comparisons drawn between former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Maryam. On a number of occasions Khan dubbed Maryam as a kid, stated that he does not view Maryam as a leader and suggested that she must demonstrate her capabilities through active participation in real politics. Even those within party who didn't object to the Maryam's anti-establishment stance, were seen discontent with how Maryam had been given control of the party by her father. As a result, the division between the Shehbaz Sharif faction and the Maryam Nawaz faction within the party became evident to all, especially given the close association of both Shehbaz and Nisar Ali Khan.
Panama Papers case
On 3 April 2016, the Panama Papers were leaked and Maryam was named in it along with her two brothers, Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz. According to records uncovered by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Maryam was described as the owner of the British Virgin Islands-based firms Nielsen Enterprises Limited and Nescoll Limited, and allegedly the owner of the properties in the United Kingdom owned jointly by her brothers. In response, Maryam denied owning any company or property outside Pakistan and said, "My brother has made me a trustee in one of his corporations which only entitles me to distribute assets to my brother Hussain's family/children if needed".
In September 2016, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan asking for action against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his relatives for their alleged involvement in the Panama Papers scandal. In January 2017, Maryam submitted her statement to the Supreme Court saying she has not been dependent on her father since her marriage in 1992. On 16 February 2017, Maryam's lawyer admitted before the Supreme Court that Maryam owned four flats in London for at least six months in 2006. On 20 April, the Supreme Court announced a split verdict and ordered the formation of the joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the Sharif family's assets for irregularities. On 10 July, the JIT submitted its report to the Supreme Court in which it maintained that the Sharif family has assets beyond known sources of income. In its report, the JIT noted that Maryam misled the Supreme Court by presenting fake documents and stated that the Calibri font used on the declaration dated 2006 produced by Maryam was not commercially available before 31 January 2007. The scandal was widely referred to as Fontgate.
Wealth
In 2011 on a TV show with Pakistani anchor Sana Bucha, Maryam said she owned no properties in central London let alone in Pakistan. It was later revealed in 2017 by a Joint Investigation Team that "she was the beneficiary of the London flats and she purposely never declared the ownership of these overseas properties, submitted fake documents, and misled the Supreme Court of Pakistan". Her conviction was overturned on 29 September 2022 related to the purchase of apartments in London. The two-judge panel of the Islamabad High Court dismissed prosecution's case against her.
In 2018 in her affidavit to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Maryam declared her assets to be worth Rs. 845 million (US$2.9 million). She owns 1,506 Kanals (188 acres) of agricultural land and has invested millions into companies.
Awards and recognition
In March 2017, Maryam was included in the BBC's 100 Women list, recognizing influential women worldwide, notably as the first daughter in her country.[24][31] In December 2017, she was featured on The New York Times list of 11 Powerful Women Around the World for the year 2017, where it was mentioned, that "corruption charges are clouding her rapid rise".[219]
Controversies
Over the years, several audio recordings involving Maryam Nawaz have surfaced.[220] In 2021, an audio clip was released that included a phone conversation between Maryam and then Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed. In the conversation, Maryam seemed to be directing the refusal of advertisements to certain TV channels. Maryam later verified the authenticity of the audio clip and defended her actions, explaining that she was referring to PML-N advertisements.
Quotes
Total 0 Quotes
Quotes not found.