PML-N | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: With the federal budget for the financial year 2026-27 expected to be tabled on June 10, two major ruling partners, the PML-N and the PPP, continued their consultations on the proposed fiscal measures, with another round of the pre-budget meeting scheduled for later this week. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Wednesday that the budget would be tabled on June 10. Sources said the next meeting between the PPP and PML-N would be attended by party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who will be back from his election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan before the June 7 polls. PPP sources said these were routine pre-budget meetings to discuss taxation and other measures and multiple rounds could take place before the budget session. A PPP leader also said they were trying to reach an agreement with the government on fiscal measures in light of the new IMF demands, adding that they were unhappy with the budget in its current form. Another source said the consultations were also delayed because the IM...

LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will visit Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday to meet party ticket holders ahead of the June 7 elections. The GB Election Commission had announced that general elections in the region would be held on June 7 after a four-month delay. On Monday, Punjab Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said on X that the PML-N president will visit GB on Tuesday for a one-day visit. During the visit, he will meet party leaders and ticket-holders. “He will also discuss the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and matters related to the development and welfare of the people of the region,” she said. Nawaz has not been active in politics since the February 2024 general elections. However, he is serving as head of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival. The former prime minister often presides over its meetings and oversees measures for the protection of the city’s heritage. The PML-N supremo also acts as a political mentor to his daughter and Punjab Chief Ministe...

LAHORE: Actor and model Momina Iqbal on Friday filed an application with Chung Police for the registration of a first information report against a PML-N MPA Saqib Chadhar, levelling serious allegations of blackmail, harassment and death threats. In her application, she alleged that the PML-N MPA had been making threatening calls to harass her and her fiance. Momina claimed that the lawmaker turned abusive when she refused his marriage proposal, after it transpired that he was already married to two women. Subsequently, she said Chadhar began blackmailing her. Momina also mentioned WhatsApp messages and video calls from the suspect in her application. She further alleged that the the MPA also sent the same threatening messages to her sister’s mobile phone. According to reports, Momina visited Chung Police Station along with her lawyers, met Station House Officer Faheem Imdad, and briefed him about her complaint. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also warned that any attempt to exert political press...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered an inquiry into an attack in Toba Tek Singh that left PML-N MPA Col (retired) Sardar Ayub Gadhi injured and four of his aides dead. The incident occurred on Sunday night, when Gadhi was sitting with his friends in his outhouse (Dera) in Chak 184-GB. Subsequently, unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate fire. In a statement on Monday, PM Shehbaz expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the incident. He also directed the relevant authorities to swiftly complete the inquiry so that those responsible could be identified and brought to justice. Calling Gadhi one of the PML-N’s hardworking workers, the prime minister said that the attack on the MPA while he was listening to public grievances was extremely concerning. He offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the incident and for the recovery of the injured. Those killed in the incident on Sunday night were identified as Zaigham Abbas (41), Nadim Noor (45), Khaliqdad (49), and Haq Nawaz (55). Police s...

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday vowed that, if elected, the party would focus on development in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The remarks come ahead of the GB Assembly elections scheduled for June 7, with other parties also ramping up their preparations. Nawaz made the comments in a televised address to the PML-N’s parliamentary board for GB, where he highlighted past projects launched by the party in the region. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his younger brother, had the “same passion” for developing GB as him, noting that the region had massive potential. The former premier highlighted road projects “worth $60-$65 billion”, adding that “24-hour journeys were reduced to 10 hours”. He recalled facing criticism for having a tunnel constructed in Chitral as it was sparsely populated. Referring to the initiatives undertaken by PM Shehbaz during his time as the Punjab chief minister, and now by his daughter Maryam, Nawaz told the party members: “You should copy it, and all these things should be launched...

LAHORE: A PML-N lawmaker submitted on Thursday a resolution in the Punjab Assembly, calling for the nomination of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for the Nobel Peace Prize. The resolution, submitted by PML-N Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad, stated that Pakistan’s leadership demonstrated “effective diplomacy” amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel and the United States. The growing tensions, the resolution added, threatened global peace. It said Pakistan’s leadership played a significant role in promoting peace and stability at the international level during a period of heightened tensions. The resolution also commended former PM and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s “guidance” in the matter, further highlighting Pakistan’s “positive and balanced global role”. It called for the nomination of Field Marshal Munir, PM Shehbaz and DPM Dar for the Nobel Peace Prize. Moreover, a...

PML-N stalwart Nehal Hashmi on Friday was sworn in as the new governor of Sindh, following his surprise appointment a day earlier. Sindh High Court Chief Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput administered the oath at a ceremony held in Karachi. Senior leaders were present at the televised ceremony, including PPP leader Saeed Ghani and Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah. The newly-appointed governor spoke to the media after the oath-taking ceremony, where he said, “I want to give a message to the people of Karachi [..] that we will move forward with political struggle, faithfulness and honesty.” Hashmi reiterated that his party’s message was that of peace, love, and development. “We have an entire department for laptops for youth, programmes for their training, loan schemes, and other facilities,” he said. “All the federal institutions here will become functional and work for progress in Sindh,” he said. He said the provincial government would “follow in the footsteps of our sister, Punjab Chief Minister ...

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari approved on Thursday the appointment of PML-N’s Nehal Hashmi as Sindh governor, hours after it was announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recommended his appointment to the post previously held by MQM’s Kamran Tessori. “President Zardari has approved the appointment of Mr Nihal Hashmi as Sindh governor, acting on the advice of PM under Articles 48 and 101 of Pakistan’s Constitution,” a post on the Presidency’s X account said. It added, “The Commission of Appointment has been signed. He (Hashmi) will take [his] oath before the chief justice of the Sindh High Court.” Earlier, a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said PM Shehbaz had decided to appoint Hashmi as Sindh governor — a move which came as a surprise. According to the PMO, PM Shehbaz met Hashmi at PM House on Tuesday and decided to nominate him as the governor of Sindh. The premier the forwarded a summary in this regard to President Asif Ali Zardari for the final nod. A video of the PM’s meeting wi...

FAISALABAD - Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Political and Public Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah Khan said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would continue development-oriented politics and decisive fight against terrorism for greater national interests.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has clinched victory in the by-election for the Punjab Assembly constituency PP-289 Dera Ghazi Khan, with its candidate Osama Abdul Karim elected unopposed.

PML-N leaders on Saturday said PTI had been sending mixed signals regarding talks with the government, stressing that democracy could only be advanced through “dialogue and not deadlock”. On Friday, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said that PM Shehbaz would decide on talks with PTI once the opposition party clarifies its stance on negotiations. PM Shehbaz on Tuesday extended an offer for talks with the opposition. The PTI outright rejected talks with the government on the directions of party founder Imran Khan, but Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), of which the PTI is a part, stated its openness to negotiate with the government. PML-N leaders, including Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, made the remarks while speaking to the media in Sukkur. The delegation is headed to Garhi Khuda Bakhsh for the 18th death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhu...

The PPP accused the PML-N of “colluding” with the PTI during National Assembly proceedings on Wednesday, after the speaker ended the session early when PTI’s Iqbal Afridi pointed out a “lack of quorum” ahead of an agenda item regarding the renaming of Islamabad International Airport. The last item on the day’s agenda was a calling-attention notice from First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari and other PPP lawmakers, intended to draw the defence minister’s attention to the delay in naming the New Islamabad International Airport after former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in recognition of her services to democracy and the country. However, as the day’s proceedings continued, presiding officer Ali Zahid, who belongs to the PML-N, ended the session abruptly during the question hour while PPP MNA Abdul Qadir Patel was speaking. PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi pointed out the lack of quorum while Patel spoke, prompting the speaker to have the members counted. “63 members are present, the house is not in order,” Zahid said, ending t...

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday slammed the sisters of PTI founder Imran Khan for giving interviews to the Indian media while one of ex-premier’s sisters, Noreen Niazi, criticised the PML-N for having “double standards”. Last week, Imran’s sisters had camped outside Adiala Jail, where the PTI founder is currently incarcerated, along with other PTI members after being denied a meeting. According to the PTI, Aleema Khan, Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen were “sitting peacefully” outside the jail when they were manhandled and “violently detained” by police. After repeatedly being barred from meeting their brother, Noreen and another sister of Imran, Aleema Khan, gave separate interviews to the Indian media on the matter. “These three sisters of Imran Ahmed Niazi sahib, on May 9 they were also present at the Core Commander’s House,” he said, but added that until now they had not been told not to “cry victimisation”. “If you ask my legal opinion, their presence is proof … They were there on May 9, they broug...

LAHORE - Unlike the National Assembly where the PML-N has secured a simple majority after securing six national seats in Sunday’s by-election, an equal number of provincial seats grabbed by the ruling party makes no real difference to its position in the Punjab Assembly.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated the party’s candidates on their victories in the Punjab and KP by-elections.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated PML-N candidates on Monday for their overwhelming win in yesterday’s by-polls, which were held amid an election boycott by the opposition PTI in all constituencies except for two, low voter turnout and rigging allegations. According to provisional results, the PML-N won all six National Assembly (NA) seats and six of seven Punjab Assembly seats up for grabs. One provincial seat was won by the PPP, which fielded its candidates in only three of the 13 constituencies. Most of these seats were vacated following the disqualification of PTI members due to their convictions in May 9 cases. In separate but similar statements, PM Shehbaz congratulated the PML-N candidates for their victories in NA-18 (Haripur), NA-96 and NA-104 (Faisalabad), NA-185 (Dera Ghazi Khan), PP-73 (Sargodha), PP-87 (Mianwali), and Faisalabad’s PP-98, PP-116 and PP-115. The statements issued by the PM’s Office said the premier congratulated the candidates for their “brilliant success”. The statements...

PML-N eyes big win in by-polls today

The PTI slammed the PML-N government on Thursday for allegedly employing rigging tactics in support of its candidate in Lahore’s NA-129 by-election. The by-election is scheduled for Sunday. The party claimed that campaigning began with state personnel tearing down the PTI candidate’s banners and posters, managing polling stations and then appointing subordinates of the PML-N candidate, who has served as chairman of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) Board of Directors (BoD). The PTI leaders allege that this amounts to an orchestrated attempt to tilt the electoral playing field in favour of the ruling party’s candidate, Muhammad Nauman. The NA-129 seat, vacated after the death of Mian Muhammad Azhar, is being contested by his nephew, Chaudhry Arslan, who was nominated by Azhar’s son and former PTI Punjab acting president Hammad Azhar. The junior Azhar is absconding as he is wanted by the state in different cases. The PTI is contesting the by-election only in Lahore, where the seat was vacated, while bo...

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on Wednesday that even the opposition acknowledges that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is the only party capable of delivering real progress.

PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that a PML-N delegation led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had visited him and President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking their support for the approval of a 27th Constitutional Amendment. Separately, the PPP also issued a similar statement that quoted Bilawal as saying that the proposal included setting up constitutional courts, restoring executive magistrates and the matter of transfer of judges. It also included the end of protection for the provincial share under the National Finance Commission and amendments to Article 243 of the Constitution, which pertains to the command of armed forces, the statement further quoted Bilawal as saying. He added that the proposed amendment also included a provision about the return of the subjects of education and population planning to the federation and a point about ending the stalemate regarding appointments to the Election Commission of Pakistan. Bilawal said a session of the PPP’s central executive committee (CEC) ha...