United States (US) welcomed the appointment of Maryam Nawaz Sharif as CM of Punjab and called it a milestone achieved in the politics of Pakistan.
“Maryam Nawaz’s selection as Chief Minister is a milestone in Pakistani politics,” said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller when asked about her appointment in a press briefing.
“We look forward to cooperating with Pakistan more broadly on integrating women more fully into the country’s political life and economy, including through the US-Pakistan Women’s Council, civil society, and other decision-making spaces,” he remarked.
Miller remarked that inclusiveness is pivotal for the progress and development of Pakistan, He said “We are always pleased when we see cracks in the glass ceiling anywhere in the world.
He also expressed a keen interest in the United States in working with the new government constituted under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“We value our alliance and longstanding partnership with Pakistan. We have always viewed a strong, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan as critical to United States-Pakistan interests, and our engagement with the new Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, and his government will continue to focus on advancing shared interests,” he concluded.
In a historic session of the Punjab Assembly convened on Monday, Maryam Nawaz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was elected as the province’s chief minister, marking a significant milestone as the first woman to hold this esteemed position in Pakistan’s political annals. Notably, her ascension to power was juxtaposed with the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) boycott of the proceedings.
Read more: Maryam Nawaz sworn in as CM Punjab
Maryam’s victory, securing 220 votes in the wake of the recent general elections on February 8, underscored a pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape. Her adversary, Rana Aftab Ahmad of the SIC, failed to garner any votes due to the party’s abstention from the electoral process.
Addressing the assembly following her triumph, Maryam commenced her speech with a gracious recitation, extending congratulations to the newly-appointed speaker and deputy speaker. Expressing her desire for inclusive democratic participation, she lamented the absence of the opposition during the poll boycott but expressed gratitude to her party members, as well as to other political entities, for their support.