Nawaz steps up political outreach, meets PML-N lawmakers from Muzaffargarh

Nawaz steps up political outreach, meets PML-N lawmakers from Muzaffargarh.

Key points

• Accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz at her office, the former prime minister discussed the MPAs' grievances, the political situation and development priorities in south Punjab.
• They additionally cited the Chief Minister's Local Roads Programme, under which link roads in Muzaffargarh district were being constructed and rehabilitated.
• Nawaz has rarely interacted with provincial lawmakers since the February 2024 general elections, making this session significant.
• Previously few weeks, CM Maryam has met with MPAs from Bahawalnagar, Mandi Bahauddin and Attock.
• Zulqernain Tahir is a political correspondent for Dawn with over 20 years of experience, at present covering political and governance matters with a focus on uncovering financial scams.

Nawaz steps up political outreach, meets PML-N lawmakers from Muzaffargarh. Zulqernain Tahir Published August 19, 2026 Updated August 19, 2026 07: 40pm. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

LAHORE: PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has stepped up his political outreach to the party's provincial lawmakers, session PML-N MPAs from Muzaffargarh on Wednesday in a bid to narrow the widening disconnect between legislators and the provincial administrative machinery, the Punjab administration noted.

Since the elections, he has largely confined his political engagements to party huddles and meetings of the Lahore Heritage body, with no such direct interaction with provincial lawmakers.

CM Maryam additionally remained "out of reach" for numerous PML-N MPAs for the first two years in office, a party lawmaker noted to Dawn.

Nevertheless, lately, she has renewed interaction with party lawmakers after mounting complaints that elected representatives were finding it increasingly challenging to obtain the bureaucracy and police to respond to matters confronting their constituents.

For context, the complaints are particularly pronounced among lawmakers from rural constituencies. This person say authorities often do not attach due weight to their requests when they approach them for a resolution of local difficulties.

Shortly after taking charge as CM, Maryam had drawn a clear line, telling party lawmakers that they would have no role in civil, administrative or police postings and transfers.

According to an official Punjab administration statement, the Muzaffargarh lawmakers briefed the Sharifs on local matters and praised the Punjab administration for what they described as a record number of development projects in south Punjab.

They thanked the CM for launching electric bus and clean drinking water projects in Muzaffargarh, saying the initiatives demonstrated her focus on relatively underdeveloped areas.

In practice, the MPAs remarked thousands of residents were benefiting from the electric bus service on routes linking Fazil Mill with Khanpur Baga Sher, Railway Phatak with Mahmood Mills, Jhang Mor with Turki Hospital and other areas.

CM Maryam remarked the PML-N believed in "genuine public development rather than hollow slogans and false claims", adding that addressing the deprivations of south Punjab remained her government's top priority.

She recalled personally supervising rescue and relief operations during last year's floods in the region, saying that providing relief and facilities to individuals in deprived areas was her greatest source of satisfaction.

Zulqernain Tahir is a political correspondent for Dawn with over 20 years of experience, at present covering political and governance matters with a focus on uncovering financial scams. He can be discovered on X at @zulqerr.

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