Maryam Nawaz becomes Pakistan's first woman chief minister

Islamabad, Feb 26: Amid boycotts and delays, the Punjab Assembly on Monday elected PML-N's Maryam Nawaz as the first female Chief Minister of the province and Pakistan, media reported.

"It is natural that when people are subject to victimisation the way I have been, they harbour hatred. I want to say today, that I do not seek revenge, nor do I have hatred for anyone," Maryam clarified. Maryam clinched an overwhelming victory with 220 votes against rival Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Dawn reported.

In her an hour-and-a-half-long victory speech -- during which she held a frame of her late mother Kulsoom — Maryam said that she was upset at the opposition boycott.

"I wish they had been a part of the political and democratic process," she said.

"If the opposition was present today, and if they had protested during my speech, I would have been happy," Maryam added.

She thanked the opposition for "putting her through a struggle which has no comparison," citing the numerous court cases, the imprisonment of her father and the death of her mother.

"I want to give a message to the opposition: the doors of my chamber and heart will always remain open for them as they are for the members of my party," Maryam said.

Initially, the SIC -- which is now home to the PTI-backed independent candidates who won the general election -- had nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal, an MPA-elect from Lahore, for the slot.

However, it later replaced him with Aftab from Faisalabad, a former PPP jiyala, as Iqbal had not come to the House to take oath as MPA, fearing his arrest by the Punjab police. Ahead of the Assembly session on Monday, Maryam first visited her mother's grave and then arrived at the Punjab Assembly, which was scheduled to convene at 11 a.m, Dawn reported.