LAHORE, DEC 22 (DNA) – Maryam Nawaz – daughter of ex-PM Nawaz Sharif who is also the ruling PML-N head – is the likely candidate for Punjab chief ministry, predicted senior political analyst Salman Ghani.

He told that Maryam will contest in both elections of the National Assembly and Punjab Assembly. His informed sources revealed that the emerging politician has started meeting both provincial and federal lawmakers. Nawaz Sharif will retain Punjab and grip its politics to maintain his reputation, Ghani added.

It is worth mentioning that Nawaz Sharif himself confirmed in the recent announcement that his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif will replace him as the PML-N candidate for premiership. Maryam Nawaz had successfully managed the NA-120 election campaign of her mother Kulsoom Nawaz while she was ailing in London.

Ghani predicted that Maryam Nawaz will contest in the 2018 general elections from four seats that are NA-120, NA-123, PP-147 and PP-144. He said that she has launched election campaign in these constituencies already without any formal announcement.

While quoting his sources, Ghani predicted that Nawaz will keep Punjab under his grip through Maryam in view of how she challenged the Supreme Court verdict after his disqualification.

Despite the apparent party consensus for the names of Shehbaz and Maryam next in line, it is too early to consider it the final call as several decisions for the future are due to take place in the PML-N sittings.

Both Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz had joined the the 27-member Central Executive Committee of PML-N earlier this month.