The end of Sharifs era in Punjab (1985 - 2018)
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LAHORE - Usman Ahmed Buzdar has become the first non-Muslim Leaguer who has taken oath as elected Chief Minister of Punjab since 1985.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has become the only party which hasn’t only ended the decade long rule of the PML-N in Punjab but also snatched the crown of Punjab from Muslim League, whose different factions have been fielding their candidates for CM slot since 1985 and constantly winning the poll.
Thirty-three years ago, in 1985, Nawaz Sharif took oath as the elected CM of Punjab after the non-party basis elections. Nawaz belonged to the Muslim League which had the complete backing of then dictator and President Gen Ziaul Haq.Other noted flag-bearers of that Muslim League included Mohammad Khan Junejo and Iqbal Ahmed Khan.
In 1988, Nawaz Sharif as the candidate of Islami Jamhuri Ittehad, a nine-party alliance whose major political party was Muslim League once again got elected as Chief Minister.
Nawaz held the office of Chief Minister till 1990. After Nawaz, it was another Muslim Leaguer from Mian Channu, district Khanewal Ghulam Hyder Wyne who got elected and took oath as Chief Minister. Ghulam Hyder Wyne won the Punjab Assembly election as the IJI candidate and with the support of allies, he was elected as CM in 1990.
Ghulam Hyder Wyne held the office till 1992 after a revolt within his own parliamentary party deprived him of the office and it was former Speaker of Punjab Assembly and another Muslim Leaguer, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo who got elected as Chief Minister. Wattoo held the office till the dissolution of assemblies in 1993.
After the 1993 general elections, PPP won major chunk of seats in Punjab but its dream to form government in Punjab wasn’t materialised as one of the PML factions that Muslim League-J, with only 16 seats got the Chief Minister slot and most of the ministries. Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, who had got elected as an MPA on the PML-J ticket once again became the Chief Minister of Punjab.
He held the office till 1995 after which his ties became severed with PPP and he had to lose the CM slot. There were high chances that any of the PPP MPA would be announced as the new Leader of the House but once again, a Muslim Leaguer in form of Arif Nakai took oath as Chief Minister. Arif Nakai was an elected MPA of PML-J from Kasur and PPP, despite possessing most of the seats in PA had to compromise with its ally.
In 1997 general elections, PML-N won the polls with a thumping majority and like centre, Sindh, NWFP, it also formed government in Punjab and this time it was Shahbaz Sharif’s turn to lead the House.
Shahbaz Sharif got elected as Chief Minister Punjab and in this way, another Muslim Leaguer held the office. Shahbaz served as CM till October 12, 1999 after which emergency was imposed. General elections in the era of President Gen Pervez Musharraf were held in October 2002 after which, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, provincial President of PML-Q comfortably got elected as Chief Minister Punjab and another Muslim Leaguer took oath as CM.
Pervaiz Elahi held the office till 2007 and after the February 2008 elections, Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party formed a coalition government in Punjab and being the major share holder, PML-N got the Chief Minister slot.
PML-N’s MPA elected from Dera Ghazi Khan Sardar Dost Mohammed Khan Khosa took oath as CM and there was another Muslim Leaguer in the CM House again. After two months, Shahbaz Sharif, after getting elected in by-election took oath as chief minister and he continued to hold the office for next 10 years, between 2008-2013 and 2013-2018.
In 2018 general elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf won major chunk of seats in Punjab and for the first time in three decades, it was a first non-Muslim Leaguer in form of Usman Buzdar who took oath as CM.
