LAHORE: Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) President Khalid Masood Sindhu on Tuesday demanded an apology from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz over what he termed baseless allegations against his party following the NA-77 by-election in Gujranwala by her and her cabinet member.

He warned that the party would be entitled to initiate action against her at every available forum if she failed to do so.

Sindhu said the people knew that the PMML had won the by-election, but the PML-N manipulated the results by using ministers, members of the national and provincial assemblies, polling staff and police personnel.

“Rather than answering the questions raised about the election, the chief minister has made baseless allegations against our party. This reflects political panic and a lack of public support,” he said.

Maryam Nawaz in a post on X said: “In Gujranwala, all the major rival groups, including the banned organisations and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), contested the election under a new name against PML-N. Yet, despite joining hands, they suffered a humiliating defeat.”

Similarly, Punjab Information and Culture Minister Azma Bokhari criticised the PMML, questioning “how organisations declared proscribed by the state could change their names and openly participate in political activities.” Bokhari termed the participation of PMML in politics a major challenge to the state.

“We urge the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice as how can organisations supported by terrorists openly engage in political activities?” she questioned.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026