New Pakistan's Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz says she has no desire for 'revenge’ against political rivals

Lahore: Newly-elected Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province Maryam Nawaz on Monday said she has no desire for 'revenge” against her political rivals who jailed her along with members of her family, including her father Nawaz Sharif.

The 50-year-old senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said she had seen hard times like imprisonment but was thankful to her opponents for making her strong.

"I neither have a feeling of revenge or vengeance and my journey includes my arrest, my father's arrest, my mother’s passing away," she said, indirectly referring to former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Supreme Court chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar.

She thanked the opposition for making her go through all the ordeal which helped her reach the province's top office, referring to the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, whose government incarcerated the Sharif family in corruption cases.

"On this occasion, I thank my late mother (Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif) too as she knowingly and unknowingly trained me for this day. She is still present with me, her prayers and best wishes. She taught me how to face trials," said Maryam in her inaugural speech.

"I am thankful that you have made me occupy the seat from where a visionary leader like Nawaz started his career [and] who later made Pakistan invincible with nuclear technology," said the newly-elected chief minister.

She said that the senior PML-N leaders including Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif were her mentors. 'I consider this office as a big responsibility on my shoulders,' she added.

Maryam Nawaz won the chief ministerial elections amidst a walkout by lawmakers of Imran Khan's party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Maryam received 220 votes and won the chief ministerial elections for the politically crucial Punjab province, home to 120 million people. She defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC, who received no votes as his party boycotted the election.

“I want to thank those who put me in difficulties, which included death cells, court visits, incarceration of my father and the death of my mother, but despite all this, I feel indebted to my adversaries. Today, where I am standing, it is all because of this struggle,” she was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

Maryam, considered the political heir of Nawaz Sharif, thanked God, her father, uncle Shehbaz Sharif and the lawmakers who voted for her. She said that she was happy to sit in the seat where her father used to sit.

'My father trained me how to run the office,' Maryam said.

The vice president of PML-N said her appointment is an honour for every woman in the country and hoped that the tradition of female leadership would continue in the future as well.

Maryam outlined that her party's key objective during her tenure would be the provision of employment, education and healthcare.

She also announced a Ramazan relief package, Nigheban, for the province. She said it includes essentials worth Pakistani Rs 6.5 to Rs 7 million which would be distributed to the public in packages.

Maryam Nawaz said she has plans to transform Punjab into an “economic hub” by creating an enabling environment for businessmen.

She said the safety of women in the province was her “first priority” and announced a dedicated helpline for them.

“Harassing any woman is Maryam Nawaz’s red line,” she affirmed. She also lauded Gulber Circle ASP Shehr Bano for protecting the life of a teenage girl wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy printed on it from an attack by a charged mob in Lahore yesterday, the Dawn reported.