PML-N leader and the Punjab chief minister-elect, Maryam Nawaz, has announced her resignation from the National Assembly's NA-119 seat. This decision comes amidst her nomination and subsequent decision to take up the office of chief minister of Punjab, marking a significant shift in the political landscape of the province. Maryam Nawaz's resignation from NA-119 Lahore III was confirmed by sources close to the politician. In the February 8 general elections, Maryam Nawaz had won from this constituency with 83,855 votes against PTI-backed candidate Shehzad Farooq, who clinched 68,376 votes. Among the other candidates for the seat were Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s Muhammad Zaheer and Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Iftikhar Shahid.

In the general elections of 2018, PML-N’s Ali Pervaiz Malik had won from this constituency with 113,265 votes, while PTI’s Jamshed Iqbal Cheema secured the second spot. The total population of this constituency is 916,577 with 520,829 registered voters. Of these, 277,172 are male and 243,657 female. Moreover, Maryam had secured her victory in the race for the Punjab Assembly's PP-159 constituency in Lahore, which she has decided to retain to become the chief minister of Punjab. In the tightly contested race, Maryam emerged victorious with 23,598 votes, while her competitor, PTI-backed independent candidate Maher Sharafat, trailed behind with 21,491 votes.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)