View source for Pakistan Muslim League (N)

{{Short description|Conservative political party in Pakistan}}
{{About|3=Muslim League (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Pakistan Muslim League (N)
| abbreviation     = PML(N)
| logo             = Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz logo.svg
| logo_size        = 175
| colorcode        = {{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}
| president        = [[Nawaz Sharif]]
| leader1_title    = Vice President
| leader1_name     = [[Maryam Nawaz]]
| chairman         = [[Raja Zafar-ul-Haq]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/500187-raja-zafarul-haq-meets-senate-chairman|title=Raja Zafarul Haq meets Senate chairman|date=18 July 2019|work=The News International (newspaper)|access-date=1 September 2021}}</ref>
| secretary_general = [[Ahsan Iqbal]]
| leader2_title    = Leader in [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]]
| leader2_name     = [[Ishaq Dar]]
| leader3_title    = Leader in [[National Assembly of Pakistan|Assembly]]
| leader3_name     = [[Shehbaz Sharif]], [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]]
| spokesperson     = [[Marriyum Aurangzeb]]
| ideology         = {{ublist|class = nowrap
| [[Conservatism]] ([[Conservatism in Pakistan|Pakistani]]){{refn|<ref>{{cite book|editor=Col Y Udaya Chandar (Retd) |title=Independent India s All the Seven Wars |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pwxFDwAAQBAJ&dq=Conservative+Pakistan+Muslim+League+(N)&pg=PT26 |quote= ... Over the next decade, she alternated power with the conservative Pakistan Muslim League-N(PML(N)) led by Nawaz Sharif, as the country's political and economic situation deteriorated. ... |date=2018 |publisher=[[Notion Press]]|isbn=9781948473224 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/article/44648/is-pml-n-the-most-liberal-regime-pakistan-has-seen-in-recent-times|title= Is PML-N The Most Liberal Regime Pakistan Has Seen In Recent Times?|date=5 January 2017|work=The Express Tribune}}</ref>}}
| [[Conservative liberalism]]{{refn|<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/17/nawaz-sharif-pakistan-profile |title=Nawaz Sharif: rightwing tycoon who has won over liberals – for now |last=Boone |first=Jon |date=17 May 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="tribune.com.pk">{{Cite news |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1060018/nawaz-sharif-the-liberal/ |title=Nawaz Sharif the liberal? – The Express Tribune |date=5 March 2016 |newspaper=The Express Tribune |language=en-US|access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref>}}
| [[Economic liberalism]]<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al-Jazeera]]|title=Explainer: Pakistan's main political parties|date=6 May 2013|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/pakistan-elections/2013/04/20134277479966662.html}}</ref>
}}
| headquarters     = 180-H [[Model Town, Lahore|Model Town]], [[Lahore]], [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
| website          = {{URL|http://www.pmln.org/|Party website}}
| country          = Pakistan
| native_name      = {{nobold|{{lang|ur|{{Nastaliq|پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن)}}}}<br />{{lang|ur|{{Nastaliq| ن لیگ}}}}}}
| founded          = {{start date and age|df=yes|1992|07|18}}
| founder          = [[Nawaz Sharif]]
| split            = [[Pakistan Muslim League (J)|PML(J)]]
| predecessor      = [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad|IJI]]
| womens_wing      = PML-N Women Wing
| youth_wing       = PML-N Youth Wing <br /> ''Sher Jawan Movement''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nation.com.pk/01-Nov-2020/pml-n-to-launch-sher-jawan-movement-today|title=PML-N to launch 'Sher Jawan' movement today|date=10 November 2020|work=The Nation (newspaper)}}</ref>
| student_wing     = {{nobr|Muslim Student Federation}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Political parties in Pakistan: Roots, fruit & juice|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1026015/political-parties-in-pakistan-roots-fruit-juice|access-date=21 October 2021 |work=[[Dawn (newspaper)|DAWN]] |date=2 May 2013}}</ref>
| position         = [[Centre-right politics|Centre-right]] to [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]]{{refn|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/article/45478/is-pml-n-trying-to-fool-everyone-under-its-centrist-garb|title=Is PML-N trying to fool everyone under its centrist garb?|date=28 January 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sharif declares victory for his party in Pakistan vote |newspaper=Hindustan Times |date=12 May 2013
|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/sharif-declares-victory-for-his-party-in-pakistan-vote/story-E9DADY2PUh57OCK5g3Fg2J.html |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812095306/http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/sharif-declares-victory-for-his-party-in-pakistan-vote/story-E9DADY2PUh57OCK5g3Fg2J.html |archive-date=12 August 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Nawaz Sharif declares his party victorious in Pakistan vote |date=11 May 2013 |publisher=Al Arabiya |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/asia/2013/05/11/Nawaz-Sharif-declares-victory-in-Pakistan-election-.html |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512081625/http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/asia/2013/05/11/Nawaz-Sharif-declares-victory-in-Pakistan-election-.html |archive-date=12 May 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{citation |title=Nawaz Sharif Set for Third Term as PM |newspaper=India Times |date=12 May 2013 |url=http://www.indiatimes.com/news/asia/nawaz-sharif-set-for-third-term-as-pm-77130.html |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512184044/http://www.indiatimes.com/news/asia/nawaz-sharif-set-for-third-term-as-pm-77130.html |archive-date=12 May 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor=Vineeta Yadav |title=Religious Parties and the Politics of Civil Liberties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z-AeEAAAQBAJ&dq=Conservative+PML-N+with+the+center-+left+Pakistan+People%27s+Party+%28PPP%29+and+the+center-+right+PML-+N+party+to+enter+government.&pg=PA218 |quote= ... Instead, it has formed postelection coalitions with the center-left Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the center-right PML-N party to enter government. ... |date=2021 |page=218 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-754538-6 }}</ref>}}
| national         = [[Pakistan Democratic Movement]]
| colors           = {{color box|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}}} Green
| seats1_title     = [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]]
| seats1           = {{composition bar|19|100|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats2_title     = [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]]
| seats2           = {{composition bar|111|336|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats6_title     = [[Provincial Assembly of Balochistan|Balochistan Assembly]]
| seats6           = {{composition bar|17|65|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats4_title     = [[Provincial Assembly of Sindh|Sindh Assembly]]
| seats4           = {{composition bar|0|168|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats5_title     = [[Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|KPK Assembly]]
| seats5           = {{composition bar|9|145|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats3_title     = [[Provincial Assembly of Punjab|Punjab Assembly]]
| seats3           = {{composition bar|206|371|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats7_title     = [[Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly|Azad Kashmir Assembly]]
| seats7           = {{composition bar|8|53|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| seats8_title     = {{nobr|[[Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly|Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly]]&nbsp;}}
| seats8           = {{composition bar|{{GBLA|PMLN}}|33|{{party color|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}|width=80%}}
| symbol           = [[File:Pml-n.jpg|170px|center|Lion]]
| flag             = PMLN 2021 Flag.png
| leader8_title    =
| leader8_name     =
}}
{{Contains special characters|Urdu}}{{Nawaz Sharif sidebar}}
The '''Pakistan Muslim League (N)''' abbreviated as '''PML (N)''', ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن)}}}}) is a [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]], [[Conservative liberalism|conservative liberal]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/17/nawaz-sharif-pakistan-profile |title=Nawaz Sharif: rightwing tycoon who has won over liberals – for now |last=Boone |first=Jon |date=17 May 2013 |newspaper=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref><ref name="tribune.com.pk">{{Cite news |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1060018/nawaz-sharif-the-liberal/ |title=Nawaz Sharif the liberal? – The Express Tribune |date=5 March 2016 |newspaper=The Express Tribune |language=en-US|access-date=20 January 2017}}</ref> [[political party]] in [[Pakistan]]. It is currently the third-largest party in the [[Senate of Pakistan|Senate]] and the largest in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]] . The party was founded in 1993, when a number of prominent [[Conservatism in Pakistan|conservative politicians in the country]] joined hands after the dissolution of [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad|Islamic Democratic Alliance]], under the leadership of former [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Nawaz Sharif]]. The [[Party platform|party's platform]] is generally [[Conservatism in Pakistan|conservative]],<ref name="Kuperard">{{cite book|last1=Haleem|first1=Safia|title=Culture Smart! Pakistan |date=2013 |publisher=Kuperard |location=London |isbn=978-1857336788 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AcA-AQAAQBAJ&q=pakistan+muslim+league+conservative&pg=PT32|chapter-format=google books|chapter=The Struggle for Power}}</ref> which involves supporting [[free market]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=810597265&Country=Pakistan&topic=Politics |title=Nawaz Sharif selects his 25-member cabinet |publisher=Country.eiu.com |date= |accessdate=2022-03-16}}</ref> [[deregulation]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1475545/revisiting-nawaz-sharif-ii-iii-mixed-legacy?amp=1|title = Revisiting Nawaz Sharif I, II & III: A mixed legacy|date = 6 August 2017}}</ref> [[Tax cut|lower taxes]]<ref name="web.archive.org">{{cite web |url=http://pmln.org/agricultural-and-rural-development/ |title=Agricultural and Rural Development |publisher=pmln.org |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911053414/http://pmln.org/agricultural-and-rural-development/ |archive-date=11 September 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Privatization|private ownership]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fp.brecorder.com/2018/02/20180219345397/|title=Privatisation and the PML-N – Business Recorder}}</ref> Although the party historically supported [[social conservatism]], in recent years, the party's political ideology and platform has become more [[Liberal conservatism|liberal on social and cultural issues]]; however, members have been accused of using [[Islamism|Islamist]] [[Populism|populist]] rhetoric.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yilmaz |first1=Ihsan |last2=Saleem |first2=Raja M. Ali |date=8 April 2021 |title=A Quest for Identity: The Case of Religious Populism in Pakistan |url=https://www.populismstudies.org/a-quest-for-identity-the-case-of-religious-populism-in-pakistan/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730193100/https://www.populismstudies.org/a-quest-for-identity-the-case-of-religious-populism-in-pakistan/ |archive-date=30 July 2023 |work=European Center for Populism Studies (ECPS) |quote=In opposition to the PPP, PML-N members frequently “otherized” Bhutto by using Islamist populism.}}</ref><ref name="Nawaz Sharif defies clerics">{{cite news|title=Nawaz Sharif defies clerics|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/pakistans-prime-minister-is-defying-the-clerics--very-carefully/2016/03/08/a6ecea88-e450-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> Alongside the [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]] (PTI) and [[Pakistan People's Party]] (PPP), it is one of the three major [[List of political parties in Pakistan|political parties]] of the country.
One of [[Muslim League schisms|several continuing factions]] of the original [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]],<ref name="Past Electorals">{{cite web|title=Past Electorals|url=http://www.pmln.org/past-electoral/|publisher=Past Electorals|access-date=20 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119134852/http://www.pmln.org/past-electoral/|archive-date=19 January 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> the seeds of the party were sown following the [[1985 Pakistani general election|1985 elections]] when the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]] [[Muhammad Junejo|Muhammad Khan Junejo]] organised the supporters of [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|President Zia-ul-Haq]]'s dictatorship into a single party, known as the [[Pakistan Muslim League]]. After [[Death of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|President Zia-ul-Haq's death]] in 1988, under the leadership of [[Fida Mohammad Khan]], a large faction split away from the [[Muhammad Junejo|Junejo-led]] [[Pakistan Muslim League]], and formed a [[Conservatism|conservative]] alliance with various [[Right-wing politics|right-wing]] and [[Islamism|Islamist]] political parties, called the [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad|Islamic Democratic Alliance]]. The alliance formed a government in [[1990 Pakistani general election|1990]] under the leadership of [[Nawaz Sharif]]. In 1993, the alliance dissolved and the party assumed its current shape, branding itself as the "Nawaz" faction of the Pakistan Muslim League, in contrast to the "[[Pakistan Muslim League (J)|Junejo]]" faction.
After its foundation, the PML-N, along with the [[Pakistan People's Party|People's Party]], dominated the [[Politics of Pakistan|two-party political system of Pakistan]].<ref name="Pakistan Election Commission, 1997">{{cite web|title=National Assembly general election results 1988–1997|url=http://www.ecp.gov.pk/Documents/Results%201988%20-%201997/NA.pdf|work=Pakistan Election Commission|publisher=Election Commission of Pakistan|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828225608/https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/Results%201988%20-%201997/NA.pdf|archive-date=28 August 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> However, after the [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|1999 coup]], the party was eclipsed by its own splinter faction, the [[Pervez Musharraf|Musharraf]]-backed [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid)]], for almost a decade. PML-N regained popularity in [[2008 Pakistani general election|the 2008 general elections]], when it was elected as the principal opposition party. It returned to power following the [[2013 Pakistani general election|elections of 2013]], with [[Nawaz Sharif|Sharif]] elected as the prime minister for an unprecedented third term. The party, however, faced a major setback following the disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2017. The situation was worsened when Sharif and his daughter [[Maryam Nawaz|Maryam]] were sentenced to imprisonment on charges of corruption; however, their respective sentences were later suspended.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1433868/ihc-rules-in-favour-of-sharifs-suspends-sentences-handed-by-accountability-court-in-avenfield-case|title=Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar released from Adiala jail after IHC suspends Avenfield sentences|date=19 September 2018|access-date=28 July 2022|work=Dawn (newspaper)}}</ref>
The party lost both the center and provincial government of its stronghold [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]],{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} to [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|PTI]] in the [[2018 Pakistani general election|2018 elections]]. In 2024, General Elections, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz emerged as the largest party in Punjab with 193 members in the [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab|Provincial Assembly]], and also largest in the Center. [[Maryam Nawaz]] (daughter of Former PM Nawaz Sharif) became the first female [[Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan)|Chief Minister of Punjab]].
==History==
{{POV|date=October 2024}}
===Breakaway from the original PML===
{{Main|Muslim League Schisms|Convention Muslim League|West Pakistan|East Pakistan|All-India Muslim League|East Pakistani legislative election, 1954|Pakistani general elections, 1970|All-India Muslim League}}
Upon the creation of [[Pakistan]] and departure of the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British Crown]] in 1947, the [[All-India Muslim League]] (AIML) became the [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]], which was now led by [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]. After the [[Liaquat Ali Khan#Assassination|assassination]] of [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Liaquat Ali Khan|Ali Khan]], the [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]] struggled to revive itself, eventually losing control of [[East Pakistan]] in [[1954 East Bengal Legislative Assembly election|legislative elections]] to the [[United Front (East Pakistan)|Left Front]].<ref name="Scarecrow Press">{{cite book|last1=Rahman|first1=Syedur|title=Historical dictionary of Bangladesh|date=2010|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, MD|isbn=978-0810874534|edition=4th|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJfcCPUr0OoC&q=pakistan+muslim+league+1954&pg=PA284|access-date=10 March 2015}}</ref> Internal disagreement over the party's direction, lack of a political program, motivation for public reforms, and inadequate administrative preparations and mismanagement all led to the public decline of the party.<ref name="PML History">{{cite web|title=Post-Independence History|url=http://www.pmln.org/pakistan-resolution/|publisher=PML-N Official|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119134828/http://www.pmln.org/pakistan-resolution/|archive-date=19 January 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> With the [[Pakistan Socialist Party|Socialist Party]], the [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]] struggled for its survival while facing the [[Republican Party (Pakistan)|Republican Party]] and [[Awami League]].<ref name="Scarecrow Press"/> The [[1958 Pakistani military coup|martial law]] imposed in 1958 eventually outlawed all [[List of political parties in Pakistan|political parties]] in the country.<ref name="Scarecrow Press"/>
The foundation and ground base of the PML-N lies with the [[Pakistan Muslim League]], which was founded in 1962 as an enriched conservative project derived from the defunct Muslim League.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} The PML was presided over by [[Fatima Jinnah]], who actively participated in [[1965 Pakistani presidential election|presidential elections]] held in 1965 against [[Ayub Khan|Muhammad Ayub Khan]].<ref name="PML History"/> After [[Fatima Jinnah]]'s death, the PML was led by [[Nurul Amin]], a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] leader, who deepened its role in [[West Pakistan]].<ref name="PML History"/>
On a [[Pakistani nationalism|nationalist]] and [[Conservatism in Pakistan|conservative platform]], the party engaged in [[political campaign]]s against the [[Socialism in Pakistan|leftist]] [[Pakistan People's Party]] and the [[Bengali nationalism|Bengali nationalist]] party, the [[Awami League]], in [[1970 Pakistani general election|the general elections]] held in [[1970 in Pakistan|1970]].<ref name="PML History"/> It managed to secure only two electoral seats in the [[East Pakistan Provincial Assembly|East Pakistan parliament]] and only ten in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]] of [[Pakistan]].<ref name="PML History"/> In spite of its limited [[Mandate (politics)|mandate]], [[Nurul Amin]] became the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|prime minister]] and [[Vice President of Pakistan|vice-president]] of Pakistan – the only figure to have been appointed as vice-president.<ref name="PML History"/> The PML government was short-lived and soon its government fell in the aftermath of the [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1971|Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]].<ref name="PML History"/> The PML-N is ideologically close to the military and holds common beliefs on [[National Security Council (Pakistan)|national security]].<ref name="PML History"/>
The list below shows the well-known breakaway factions and their relationships with the military, although many minor factions have existed throughout Pakistani history:
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" style="font-size:88%"
|+ [[Pakistan Muslim League]]—[[The Establishment (Pakistan)|Military establishment]] [[Civil–military relations|civic-military relationships]]
|-
! Party conventions !!Year !! Relationship comparison and notes || Founders
|-
|PML(N) || 1988 || Pro-''[[status quo]]'', [[Conservatism in Pakistan|national conservative]] ([[Centre-right]]), and pro-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]] || [[Nawaz Sharif]]
|-
|[[Pakistan Muslim League (J)|PML(J)]] || 1988 || Pro-Junejo || [[Muhammad Khan Junejo]]
|-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Edit_summary
| [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|PML(Q)]] || 2002 ||pro-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]], Pro-''[[status quo]]'',<ref name="Lexington Books">{{cite book|last=Wilder|first=Andrew R.|chapter=Elections 2002: Legitimizing the Status Quo|editor-last=Baxter|editor-first=Craig|title=Pakistan on the Brink: Politics, Economics, and Society|year=2004|publisher=Lexington Books|location=Lanham MD, Oxford|isbn=0-7391-0498-5|pages=110–120|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CFNtVqYqAwEC&q=Pakistan+People’s+Party&pg=PA112}}</ref> [[liberal conservatism|liberal conservative]] || [[Shujaat Hussain|Hussain]]
|-
| [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)|PML(F)]] || 1973 || Pro-''[[status quo]]'', [[Nationalism in Pakistan|nationalist]] ([[Sindhi nationalism|Sindhi]]) || [[Syed Shah Mardan Shah-II|Pir Pagara]]
|-
| [[Pakistan Peoples Muslim League|PML(LM)]] || 2012 || Pro-''[[status quo]]'' || [[Arbab Ghulam Rahim|Rashim]]
|-
| [[Pakistan Muslim League (Z)|PML(Z)]] || 2001 ||Pro-''[[status quo]]'', pro-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]], [[Islamism in Pakistan|ultraconservative]] || [[Ijaz-ul-Haq|Haq]]
|-
| [[Awami Muslim League (Pakistan)|PML(A)]] || 2008 ||Pro-''[[status quo]]'', pro-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]] || [[Sheikh Rashid Ahmad|Ahmad]]
|-
| [[All Pakistan Muslim League|PML(P)]] || 2010 || [[Liberalism|Liberal]], Pro-''[[status quo]]'', pro-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]] || [[Pervez Musharraf|Musharraf]]
|-
|[[Pakistan Muslim League (Jinnah)|PML(J)]] || 1995 || [[Libertarianism|Libertarian]], Pro-''[[status quo]]'', anti-[[Pakistani military establishment|establishment]] || [[Manzoor Wattoo|Wattoo]]
|-
! Party conventions !! Year !! Relationship comparison and notes !! Current
|-
|[[All-India Muslim League|AIML]] || 1906 || Devolved into [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]], legal personality is presently continued and bestowed by the PML(N) || '''No'''
|-
|[[Pakistan Muslim League|PML]] || 1962 || Large part of the party led by the PML(N), other parts of the party are divided into smaller factions || '''Yes'''
|-
|[[Convention Muslim League|CML]] || 1965 || Merged with PML(N) || '''No'''
|-
|[[Council Muslim League|CML]] || 1967 || Merged with PML(N) || '''No'''
|-
|[[Muslim League (Qayyum)|ML(Q)]] ||1970 || Merged with PML(N) ||'''No'''
|}
===Electoral history===
{{Main|Pakistan National Alliance|Pakistani general election, 1977}}
[[File:Young Leaguy Worker.JPG|thumb|Young League Worker]]
The [[Pakistan Muslim League]] went into a political abyss after the death of [[Nurul Amin]] and during the [[Pakistan People's Party|PPP]] government of Prime Minister [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]].<ref name="PML History"/> It made a strong comeback in response to Bhutto's [[Nationalization in Pakistan|nationalisation program]] in the 1970s. Influential young activists, including [[Nawaz Sharif]], [[Javed Hashmi]], [[Raja Zafar ul Haq|Zafar-ul-Haq]], and [[Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain|Shujaat Hussain]], ascended as the leaders of the party and started their political career through the Muslim League.<ref name="PML History"/>
The party became an integral part of the nine-party alliance, [[Pakistan National Alliance|PNA]], against the [[Pakistan People's Party|PPP]], and campaigned against the PPP in the [[1977 Pakistani general election|1977 general elections]].<ref name="PML History"/> They campaigned on a right-wing platform and raised conservative slogans in the 1977 general elections. The PML, including Sharif and Hussain, were a conglomerate of diverse views and had provided large capital for the Muslim League's financial expenses.<ref name="PML History"/> It was at this time that the party was revived and joined the anti-Bhutto PNA with [[Syed Shah Mardan Shah-II|Pir Pagara]], an influential Sindhi conservative figure, as its elected president.
After the [[Operation Fair Play|martial law]] of 1977, the party reassessed itself and saw the rise of the powerful oligarch bloc led by [[Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi|Zahoor Illahi]], who was the main PML leader. After the [[1984 Pakistani Islamisation programme referendum|1984 referendum]], President Zia-ul-Haq had become the country's elected president.<ref name="PML History"/> During the [[1985 Pakistani general election|1985 general election]], a new PML-N emerged on the country's political scene.<ref name="PML History"/> The party had supported the presidency of [[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq|Zia-ul-Haq]] and won his support to appoint [[Mohammad Khan Junejo]] to the office of Prime Minister. [[Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif|Nawaz Sharif]] had won the favour and support of President Zia-ul-Haq, who approved his appointment as [[Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan|Chief Minister]] of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab Province]] in 1985.<ref name="PML History"/>
====1988 general elections====
{{Main|1988 Pakistani general election|Islamic Democratic Alliance}}
The modern history of the party began during the [[1988 Pakistani general election|1988 parliamentary elections]], when the Pakistan Muslim League, led by former prime minister [[Mohammed Khan Junejo]], split into two factions: one was led by [[Fida Mohammad Khan]] and [[Nawaz Sharif]], the then [[Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan|chief minister]] of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab Province]], and the other by [[Mohammed Khan Junejo|Junejo]] (who later founded the [[Pakistan Muslim League (F)]]).
In 1988, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) was founded and established by [[Fida Mohammad Khan]], an original [[Pakistan Movement]] [[:Category:Pakistan Movement activists|activist]], who became the party's founding president, whilst Nawaz Sharif became its first secretary-general. The party is not the original [[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]], but is accepted as its continuing legal successor.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pre-Independence|url=http://www.pmln.org/pre-independence/|publisher=PML-N Official|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119130343/http://www.pmln.org/pre-independence/|archive-date=19 January 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
At the time of the 1988 elections, the PML was part of the eight-party [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad|Islamic Democratic Alliance]] (IDA), which had contained the right-wing conservative mass as one entity against the left-wing circles, led by the [[Pakistan People's Party]] (PPP).<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The general elections of 1988 marked the emergence of the Pakistan People’s Party's as the single largest political party, with its election to 94 of 237 seats in the [[Pakistan Parliament|state parliament]].<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The IDA occupied 55 seats, but an influential leader, [[Nawaz Sharif]], chose to serve the [[Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan|Chief Minister]] of [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab Province]].<ref name="Past Electorals"/> With [[Benazir Bhutto]] elevated to the post [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]], the IDA nominated [[Khan Abdul Wali Khan|Abdul Wali Khan]] as a compromise candidate for [[Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)|opposition leader]] in the state parliament. Within 20 months, tales of bad governance and corruption plagued the Pakistan People’s Party's government.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> Finally, in 1990, [[President of Pakistan|President]] [[Ghulam Ishaq Khan]] charged the PPP government with corruption and lack of governance and dismissed the National Assembly and the first Bhutto government.<ref name="Past Electorals"/>
====1990 generall elections====
{{Main|1990 Pakistani general elections}}
The PML-N was still part of the [[Islami Jamhoori Ittehad]] (IDA) and participated, under the leadership of [[Nawaz Sharif]], in the [[1990 Pakistani general elections|1990 general elections]]. The IDA competed against the leftist alliance, known as the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), which had contained the [[Pakistan People's Party]] and the [[Tehrik-e-Istiqlal|''TeI'']]. The elections resulted in the victory of IDA, with [[Nawaz Sharif]] becoming prime minister. Through IDA, the conservative forces under Sharif had a chance to form a national government for the first time in the [[history of Pakistan]]. With Sharif taking office, his ascendancy also marked a transition in the political culture of Pakistan – a power shift from control by the traditional feudal aristocracy to the growing class of modern and moderate entrepreneurs.<ref name='Abdus Samad, Author of "Governance, Economic Policy and Reform in Pakistan"'/> For the first time, Sharif launched [[Privatization in Pakistan|privatisation]] and [[Economic liberalisation in Pakistan|economic liberalisation]] policy measures, and his economic team actually implemented some of the serious economic liberalisation and privatisation measures previous governments had merely talked about.<ref name='Abdus Samad, Author of "Governance, Economic Policy and Reform in Pakistan"'>{{cite web |last=Samad |first=Abdus |title=The Economic Policies of the first Nawaz Sharif Government 1990–93 |url=http://users.erols.com/ziqbal/nh8.htm |access-date=6 August 2012 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609124627/http://users.erols.com/ziqbal/nh8.htm |archive-date=9 June 2013 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Election results also showed liberals, the [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan|MQM]], emerging as the third major party with 15 seats.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> For the first time in the history of the country, Sharif allowed foreign money exchange to be transacted through private money changers.<ref name='Abdus Samad, Author of "Governance, Economic Policy and Reform in Pakistan"'/> While internationally acclaimed, his policies were condemned by the [[Pakistan People's Party|PPP]]. [[Benazir Bhutto]] mounted pressure on President Ghulam Ishaq Khan, who dismissed the IDA government on 18 April 1993.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The PML-N appealed to the [[Supreme Court of Pakistan|Supreme Court]], which then restored Sharif's government on 26 May. The [[Pakistan Armed Forces|country's armed forces]] and the military leadership attempted to negotiate with Sharif and get him to step down.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> This culminated in the resignation of Nawaz Sharif, and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan was also removed from office.<ref name="Past Electorals"/>
====1993 elections and opposition====
{{Main|1993 Pakistani general elections}}
The PML-N gained national prominence in the [[1993 Pakistani general election|1993 parliamentary elections]] and occupied 73 seats in the state parliament. The party asserted its role as opposition to the Pakistan People’s Party.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The PML-N [[Corruption charges against Benazir Bhutto|charged]] Benazir Bhutto with corruption, stagnation, and endangering national security.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The PPP also suffered due to internal factions, one of which was led by [[Murtaza Bhutto]]. The controversial murder of [[Murtaza Bhutto]] by [[Sindh Police]] and the pressure on MQM further weakened Benazir Bhutto. The PML-N and Sharif himself were shocked when they learned the news of Benazir Bhutto's dismissal. An ironic aspect of this dismissal was that it was prompted by the then-President [[Farooq Leghari]], a trusted lieutenant of Benazir, who sent her to the presidency as a safeguard for the PPP's government after the office was vacated by Ghulam Ishaq Khan.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> During that movement, Nawaz Sharif travelled through the length and breadth of Pakistan. He also embarked on a train march from Lahore to Peshawar as part of his campaign to oust Benazir.<ref name="Past Electorals"/>
During this time, the party was among the closest to the [[Pakistan Civil Services|civil bureaucracy]] and the [[Pakistan Armed Forces]], and had close ties and influence in the Pakistan Armed Forces' appointments as well as their military strategies.<ref name="The Economist">{{cite news|last=Editorial|title=Pakistan Muslim League|url=http://www.economist.com/node/12253224|date=24 September 2008|publisher=The Economist|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 February 2012|df=dmy-all}}{{dead link|date=August 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
====1997 elections and power politics====
{{Main|1993 Pakistani general elections|Indo-Pakistani War of 1999|Chagai-I|Pokhran-II|Chagai-II|Atlantique Incident|1999 Pakistani coup d'état|PIA Flight 544}}
[[File:Nawaz Sharif detail, 981203-D-9880W-117.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Nawaz Sharif]], the first PML-N Prime Minister.]]
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) struck its remarkable, biggest, and most notable achievement in the [[1997 Pakistani general election|1997 parliamentary elections]], held on 3 February 1997.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))">{{cite web|last=Story of Pakistan|title=Nawaz Sharif becomes Prime Minister|date=June 2003|url=http://storyofpakistan.com/nawaz-sharif-becomes-prime-minister-2?artid=a088|publisher=Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920201755/http://storyofpakistan.com/nawaz-sharif-becomes-prime-minister-2?artid=a088|archive-date=20 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It secured a [[two-thirds majority]] in the [[Pakistan Parliament]], the only political party to have gained a two-thirds majority since the country's independence in 1947.<ref name="Pakistan Election Commission, 1997"/> During this time, the PML-N was the largest conservative party, with its members occupying 137 seats out of 207, roughly 66.2%.<ref name="Pakistan Election Commission, 1997"/> In 1997, the party secured its win with an overwhelming mandate, with only a small opposition.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> On 18 February 1997, when Nawaz Sharif obtained a vote of confidence, the Pakistan Muslim League assumed the government of Pakistan.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> Nawaz Sharif allowed Benazir Bhutto to hold the office of [[Leader of the Opposition (Pakistan)|Leader of the Opposition]], though the PML-N held control of the state parliament.<ref name="Past Electorals"/> The PML-N government passed the [[Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan|Thirteenth]] and the [[Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan|Fourteenth Amendment]]s to the [[Constitution of Pakistan]] to stabilize its mandate and strengthen its position.<ref name="Past Electorals"/>
In 1998, the law and order situation came under the PML-N's control and economic recovery was also secured.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> A number of constitutional amendments were made to make the country a parliamentary democracy.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> In May 1998, the PML-N government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered six nuclear tests, in response to Indian nuclear tests.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> The tests were extremely popular and PML-N's image and prestige rose to a record level at home.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> However, in 1998, the PML-N government effectively dismissed [[general Jehangir Karamat]] (see [[Nawaz Sharif#Dismissal of General Jehangir Karamat|Dismissal of General Jehangir Karamat]]), which ruined its public ratings, but marked a perception of the civilian control of the military.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> This type of power politics and the repeated dismissals of military leaders soured the party's relations with the [[Pakistan Armed Forces]] and its public ratings gradually went down.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/>
Despite its heavy public mandate, serious disagreements appeared within the party. Finally, the [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|1999 coup d'état]] ended the PML-N's government.<ref name="Story of Pakistan (Pakistan Muslim League (N))"/> Controversially, in 1999, the party was significantly divided, further affecting Nawaz Sharif's trial in [[military court]]. No massive protests were held by the party; its leaders remained silent and remained supportive towards the military action against Nawaz Sharif. In 2001, the party was further divided by factionalism. Dissenters formed the [[Pakistan Muslim League]], later called [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam)]] (or PML-Q), which became allies of then president [[Pervez Musharraf]].<ref name="The Economist"/> In 2001, the Muslim League (Nawaz) formally adopted the name of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), also known as PML(N).<ref name="The Economist"/>
====2002 general elections====
{{Main|2002 Pakistani general elections}}
[[File:Makhdoom Muhammad Javed Hashmi 01.JPG|thumb|200px|[[Javed Hashmi]] presided the party from 2001 to 2005.]]
As a result of the [[Kargil War]] with [[India]], the PML-N government had generated frustration within the party and a secret [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|splinter group]] inside the party united on a one-point agenda with all the opposition parties in 1999 to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office. This resulted in a [[1999 Pakistani coup d'état|military coup d'état]]. The Supreme Court validated the coup and gave General Pervez Musharraf three years to hold general elections.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} After deposing Sharif's government, the party split into several groups and its size shrunk as many of its members decided to defect to the splinter political bloc. Many of its most influential members, sponsors, and financiers came to defect to the new group that was sympathetic to [[Pervez Musharraf]].<ref name="The Economist"/> This splinter group emerged as the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)]], which registered itself as a political party with the [[Election Commission of Pakistan|Election Commission]].<ref name="The Economist"/> Sharif was removed from the party's presidency and the position was handed over to Dr. [[Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif|Kalsoum Nawaz]], wife of Sharif. With Nawaz Sharif exiled to [[Saudi Arabia]], the party's presidency was handed over to [[Javed Hashmi]], and the party began to reassert itself in the coming elections.<ref name="The Economist"/> They campaigned all over the country and competed in the [[2002 Pakistani general election|2002 general elections]] for the state parliament. The election polls announced the victory of the [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)]] and the liberals, [[Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan|MQM]], with PML-Q retaining the majority in the state parliament and brutally defeating the PML-N.<ref name="The Economist"/>
[[File:Nawaz-Sharif-Long-March-on-Ferozpur-Road-lahore-on-March-15-2009.jpg|thumb|left|200px|A mass rally of PML(N) in Punjab in support of Nawaz Sharif.]]
During the [[2002 Pakistani general election]], the PML-N performed poorly, only winning 9.4% of the popular vote and gaining seats for only 14 out of 272 elected members, the worst defeat since its inception in 1988.<ref name="The Economist"/> Hashmi was removed from the party's presidency after his controversial remarks towards the [[Pakistan Armed Forces|country's armed forces]]. In an indirect party election, [[Shahbaz Sharif]] was elected as the party's new president, and the party's leadership shifted its base to London, England. In 2006, the party signed a cooperative declaration with its rival [[Pakistan People's Party]] to outline and promote a new democratic culture in the country. Known as the [[Charter of Democracy]], the document was signed by Nawaz Sharif and [[Benazir Bhutto]] in London, and they announced their opposition to Musharraf and [[Shaukat Aziz]].<ref>{{cite news | title='Democracy charter' for Pakistan | date=15 May 2006 | work=BBC News | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4771769.stm | access-date=22 February 2008 |url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071231032534/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4771769.stm | archive-date=31 December 2007 | df=dmy-all}}</ref> In the [[2008 Pakistani general election|2008 general election]], the party won urban votes and dominated the [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab|provisional assembly]] of [[Punjab Province (Pakistan)|Punjab Province]]. They secured a total of 91 seats in the [[Parliament of Pakistan|state parliament]], just second to the [[Pakistan People's Party]], which won 121 seats, and the parties agreed on forming a coalition government. The PML-N called for the [[Movement to impeach Pervez Musharraf|impeachment]] of President [[Pervez Musharraf]], and successfully ousted him from the presidency and exiled him to the United States in 2008. However, before long, Nawaz Sharif announced his support for and leadership of the [[Lawyers' Movement]] to restore the [[Suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry|suspended]] famed [[Chief Justice of Pakistan|Chief Justice]] [[Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry]] in 2008. In 2011, the PML-N established a branch in [[Azad Kashmir|Kashmir Province]] to participate in Kashmir's general elections.
====2008 parliamentary election====
{{Main|2008 Pakistani general election}}
[[File:Hillary Rodham Clinton with Nawaz Sharif.jpg|left|250px|thumb|The senior and integral party leadership meeting with US Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] and [[Richard Holbrooke]] in 2009]]
After returning to Pakistan, the PML-N contested the 2008 general election, demanding a restoration of the judges sacked under the emergency rule put in place by President [[Pervez Musharraf]], and the removal of Musharraf as president. After the assassination of [[Benazir Bhutto]], Sharif announced that the PML-N would boycott the polls, but after some time and conversations with the co-chairman of the PPP, [[Asif Ali Zardari]], Nawaz announced that the party would run in the polls and began to rally in the [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]] areas. On 18 February 2008, after the polls were closed and the results had been announced, the PML-N gained 68 seats in the National Assembly, just behind the PPP. They announced that they would have discussions on forming a coalition with the PPP, which would get half the seats in the 342 seat Parliament. In a press conference on 19 February, Nawaz called for President Pervez Musharraf to step down. Nawaz and Zardari agreed on forming a coalition, and Nawaz announced that he and his party gave the PPP the right to choose the next Prime Minister.
[[File:2011 Pakistan National Assembly - Structure.png|thumb|200px|The PML-N is the largest conservative opposition party (darker green in right) in the [[Parliament of Pakistan]].]]
On 13 May 2008, the PML-N ministers resigned from the government due to a disagreement related to the reinstatement of the judges. Nawaz said that the PML-N would support the government without participating in it. Zardari, hoping to preserve the coalition, told Prime Minister [[Yousaf Raza Gilani]] to reject the resignations.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pakistan-politics-idUKISL23293620080516|title=Pakistan's Zardari rejects ally's resignations|publisher=UK Reuters|last=Haider|first=Zeeshan|date=16 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915060615/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pakistan-politics-idUKISL23293620080516|archive-date=15 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
On 27 June 2008, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the [[Pakistan People's Party]] (PPP) won three and two by-election seats respectively, in the national parliament. Polls were postponed for the sixth seat in [[Lahore]] due to [[Nawaz Sharif]]'s eligibility contest. A court ruled he was ineligible due to an old conviction, amid a government appeal in the Supreme Court, which was slated to hear the case on 30 June, thus postponing the vote in the constituency.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7476892.stm|title=Ruling parties win Pakistan polls|publisher=BBC|date=16 May 2008|access-date=17 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316134441/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7476892.stm|archive-date=16 March 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The two parties also won 19 of 23 provincial assembly seats where by-elections were held. The results did not affect the 18 February general election results in which [[Benazir Bhutto]]'s PPP won 123 seats in the 342-seat National Assembly, and Sharif's party came second with 91, while [[Pervez Musharraf]]'s party came a poor third, with 54 seats. Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) won eight provincial assembly seats, while the PPP won seven provincial seats.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL159890|title=Sharif's party does well in Pakistani by-elections|work=Reuters|date=16 May 2008|access-date=17 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110122332/http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSISL159890|archive-date=10 January 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/27/content_8449844.htm|title=Pakistan ruling coalition sweeps by-elections|publisher=Xinhuanet|date=27 June 2008|access-date=17 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918002452/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/27/content_8449844.htm|archive-date=18 September 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> On 25 August 2008, [[Nawaz Sharif]] announced that [[Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui]] would be Pakistan Muslim League (N) nominee to replace [[Pervez Musharraf]] as [[President of Pakistan]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/25/pakistan.politics.coalition/index.html?eref=rss_world|title=Sharif withdraws party from Pakistan ruling coalition|publisher=CNN|date=16 May 2008|access-date=17 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091030154549/http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/25/pakistan.politics.coalition/index.html?eref=rss_world|archive-date=30 October 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
====2013 general elections====
During its election campaign for the [[2013 Pakistani general elections|2013 general elections]], the party competed against its arch-rival, the [[Pakistan People’s Party|PPP]], and another centrist party, the [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|PTI]]. In an unofficial count, the party secured the [[Supermajority|qualified majority]] in the [[Parliament of Pakistan|state parliament]], the [[Provincial Assembly of the Punjab|Punjab Assembly]], and the [[Balochistan Assembly]]; it is yet the only party to have secured respectable seats and representation on provisional assemblies of [[Sindh Assembly|Sindh]] and [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.]] The leader of PML-N, [[Nawaz Shareef|Nawaz Sharif]], won a third term as Prime Minister of [[Pakistan]], the first time this had happened in the history of the country.
====2018 general elections====
The [[2018 Pakistani general election]] was majorly contested between PML-N and [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|PTI]]. While PML-N retained its position in central Punjab it faced major setbacks in southern and northern Punjab. It obtained 64 seats in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] and 165 seats in the Punjab assembly. While it does not have mentionable shares in [[Sindh Assembly|Sindh]], [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly|Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and [[Balochistan Assembly]]. After the elections [[Shehbaz Sharif]] was elected as the leader of the opposition in the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]], while his son [[Hamza Shahbaz]] was elected as [[Leader of the Opposition of Punjab (Pakistan)]].
PML-N became part of the opposition alliance [[Pakistan Democratic Movement]], successfully moved [[No-confidence motion against Imran Khan]] and removed him from office on 10 April 2022, and [[Shehbaz Sharif]] became [[Prime Minister of Pakistan]]. Subsequently, the nonconfidence movement was launched in the [[Provincial Assembly of Punjab]] on 16, April 2022, and [[Hamza Shahbaz]] became Chief Minister of Punjab.
==Electoral Performance==
=== National Assembly elections ===
[[File:PML(N) Voteshare % 2018.png|thumb|This is a district-by-district map of vote share received by the PML(N), as of 2020, the largest opposition party, in the 2018 Pakistani General Election.]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[1985 Pakistani general election|1985]]||{{color|purple|members participated as non-partisan}}||– ||46.4% ||{{Composition bar|96|200|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 96|| {{yes2|Government}}
|-
|[[1988 Pakistani general elections|1988]]||[[Fida Mohammad Khan]]|| 5,908,741|| 30.2% ||{{Composition bar|56|207|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 40||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[1990 Pakistani general elections|1990]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]||7,908,513 ||37.4% ||{{Composition bar|106|207|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 56||{{yes2|Government}}
|-
|[[1993 Pakistani general elections|1993]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 7,980,229 || 39.9% ||{{Composition bar|73|207|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 38||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[1997 Pakistani general elections|1997]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 8,751,793 ||45.9 ||{{Composition bar|137|207|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 64||{{yes2|Government}}
|-
|[[2002 Pakistani general elections|2002]]||[[Javed Hashmi]]|| 3,791,321|| 12.7% ||{{Composition bar|19|342|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}}118||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2008 Pakistani general elections|2008]]||[[Nisar Ali Khan]]|| 6,805,324 || 19.65% ||{{Composition bar|89|341|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 70||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2013 Pakistani general elections|2013]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 14,874,104 || 32.77% ||{{Composition bar|166|342|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 77||{{yes2|Government}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[2018 Pakistani general election|2018]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| rowspan="2" | 12,934,589 || rowspan="2" | 24.35% || rowspan="2" |{{Composition bar|82|342|hex=green}}
| rowspan="2" |{{decrease}} 84||{{no2|Opposition<br>(till 11 April 2022)}}
|-
|{{Yes2|Coalition Government<br>(from 11 April 2022)}}
|}
=== Senate of Pakistan Elections ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[2009 Pakistani Senate election|2009]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]||-|| – ||{{Composition bar|7|104|hex=green}}
|{{increase}}-||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2012 Pakistani Senate election|2012]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]||-|| – ||{{Composition bar|14|104|hex=green}}
|{{increase}}7||{{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2015 Pakistani Senate election|2015]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]] || -||- ||{{Composition bar|26|104|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 12||{{yes2|Government}}
|-
|[[2018 Pakistani Senate election|2018]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| -|| – ||{{Composition bar|33|104|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 7||{{yes2|Government}}
|-
|[[2021 Pakistani Senate election|2021]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| – || – ||{{Composition bar|18|100|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 15||{{no2|Opposition}}
|}
=== Punjab Assembly Elections ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|1993||[[Nawaz Sharif]]||-|| – ||{{Composition bar|103|255|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}}-||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|1997||[[Nawaz Sharif]] || – || – ||{{Composition bar|228|255|hex=green}}
|{{increase}}125||{{Color|green|Government}}
|-
|[[2002 Punjab provincial election|2002]]||[[Javed Hashmi]]||3,028,856|| 16.43% ||{{Composition bar|43|371|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}}185||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2008 Punjab provincial election|2008]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]] ''(Won in By-Elections)''|| 5,597,569 || 27.05% ||{{Composition bar|148|371|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 105||{{Color|green|Government*}}
|-
|[[2013 Punjab provincial election|2013]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif|Shahbaz Sharif]]|| 11,365,363 || 40.77% ||{{Composition bar|313|371|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 165||{{color|green|Government}}
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[2018 Punjab provincial election|2018]]|| rowspan="3" |[[Hamza Shahbaz|Hamza Shahbaz Sharif]]|| rowspan="3" | 10,516,446 || rowspan="3" | 31.78% || rowspan="3" |{{Composition bar|167|371|hex=green}}
| rowspan="3" |{{decrease}} 146||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|{{color|green|Government}} (from 16 April 2022 till 27 July 2022)
|-
|{{Color|red|Opposition}} (from 27 July 2022)
|}
* In the [[2008 Pakistani general election|2008 elections]], the PML (N) and the [[Pakistan People’s Party|PPP]] formed a [[coalition government]], with PML (N) as the senior party and [[Shehbaz Sharif]] as [[Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan)|Chief Minister of Punjab]]. However, in 2011, the [[Pakistan People’s Party|PPP]] was expelled from this coalition.
=== Balochistan Assembly Elections ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[2013 Balochistan provincial election|2013]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 134,758 || 10.28% ||{{Composition bar|12|65|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 12 ||{{color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|[[2018 Balochistan provincial election|2018]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| 28,065 || 1.54% ||{{Composition bar|1|65|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 11||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|}
=== KPK Assembly Elections ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[2013 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election|2013]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 856,135 || 15.90% ||{{Composition bar|15|124|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}}-||{{color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2018 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial election|2018]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| 655,391 || 10.47% ||{{Composition bar|5|124|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 10||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|}
=== Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly Elections ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[2011 Azad Kashmiri general election|2011]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| – || – ||{{Composition bar|10|49|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 10 ||{{color|green|Coalition Government}}
|-
|[[2016 Azad Kashmiri general election|2016]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 739,195 || 44.4% ||{{Composition bar|35|49|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 24 ||{{Color|green|Government}}
|-
|[[2021 Azad Kashmiri general election|2021]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| 490,091 || 25.64% ||{{Composition bar|7|54|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 28 ||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|}
=== Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly Elections ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!'''Election'''!! Presiding chair of the party !!'''Votes'''!!'''%'''!!'''Seats'''
!+/–!!Government
|-
|[[2009 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election|2009]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| – || – ||{{Composition bar|3|33|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 3 ||{{color|red|Opposition}}
|-
|[[2015 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election|2015]]||[[Nawaz Sharif]]|| 129,526 || 34.17% ||{{Composition bar|21|33|hex=green}}
|{{increase}} 18||{{Color|green|Government}}
|-
|[[2020 Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election|2020]]||[[Shehbaz Sharif]]|| – || – ||{{Composition bar|3|33|hex=green}}
|{{decrease}} 18 ||{{Color|red|Opposition}}
|}
==Structure==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float:right; clear:right; width:500px; margin-left:1em; font-size:88%;"
|-
! colspan=3 | Party leadership
!
|-
! Officiate/Party office
! Party bearer
![[Administrative units of Pakistan|Provincial Representation]]
!
|-
|[[Chairman]]
|[[Raja Zafar ul Haq]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
|[[Vice Chairman]]
|Bashir Memon
|[[Sindh]]
|
|-
| [[President of Pakistan Muslim League (N)|President]]
| [[Shehbaz Sharif]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
| [[President of Sindh Muslim League (N)|President]]
|
Shah Muhammad Shah
|[[Sindh, Pakistan|Sindh]]
|
|-
|[[Senior Vice President|Senior Vice-President]]
|[[Nehal Hashmi]]<br /><br />[[Sardar Muhammad Yousuf]]<br />Yaqub Khan<br />[[Amir Muqam]]
|[[Sindh]]<br />[[Azad Jammu & Kashmir Pakistan|Azad Kashmir]]<br />[[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]]<br />[[Sindh]]<br />[[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]]
|
|-
| [[Vice President]]
| Saleem Zia<br /> Bashir Ahmed<br /> Muhammad Intikhab Khan Chamkani
| [[Sindh]]<br />[[Sindh]]<br />[[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa]]
|
|-
|[[Secretary General]]
|[[Ahsan Iqbal]]
|[[Islamabad]]
|
|-
|[[Secretary General|Deputy Secretary-General]]
|[[Attaullah Tarar]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
|[[Secretary General|Assistant Secretary General]]
|[[Jamil Ahmed Khan (politician)|Jamil Ahmed Khan]]<br />
|[[Sindh]]<br />[[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]]
|
|-
|Secretary Finance
|[[Pervaiz Rashid]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
|Information Secretary
|[[Malik Ahmad Khan]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
|Deputy Secretary Information
|[[Khurram Dastgir]]
|[[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]]
|
|-
|Joint Secretary
|[[Sheikh Zarak Khan Mandokhail]]
|[[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]]
|
|-
! colspan="4" |Presidents of Administered Provinces
|-
!Officiate/Party office
!Party bearer
![[Administrative units of Pakistan|Provincial Representation]]
!
|-
|President
|[[Rana Sanaullah]]
|[[Punjab]]
|
|-
|President
|[[Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman]]
|[[Gilgit Baltistan Scouts|Gilgit Baltistan]]
|
|-
|President
|[[Mian Khan Mondrani]]
|[[Balochistan]]
|
|-
|President
|[[Farooq Haider Khan]]
|[[Azad Kashmir]]
|
|-
|President
| Bashir Memon
|[[Sindh]]
|
|-
|President
|[[Amir Muqam]]
|[[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]]
|
|-
!colspan="3"| Central Working Committee (Notable activists)
!
|-
|colspan=3 | {{flatlist|
;Executive Members
:[[Ishaq Dar]]
: [[Awais Leghari]]
:[[Danyal Chaudhry]]
: [[Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath]]
:[[Khawaja Saad Rafique]]
:[[Khawaja  Asif]]
: [[Hafeez-ur-Rehman Dreshak]]
:[[Abid Sher Ali]]
: [[Chaudhry Farrukh Altaf]]
}}
|
|-
|colspan=3 | {{flatlist|
;Ex-officios
:[[Rana Sanaullah]]
: [[Bilal Azhar Kayani]]
:[[Hamza Shahbaz]]
:[[Maryam Nawaz]]
:[[Rana Tanveer Hussain]]
: [[Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh]]
:[[Hanif Abbasi]]
: [[Azma Bukhari]]
: [[Tariq Fazal Chaudhry]]
: [[Muhammad Aurangzeb]]
: [[Malik Asad Ali Khokhar]]
:[[Aqeel Malik]]
:[[Muhammad Aurangzeb]]
}}
|
|}
The major function of the General Council Meeting (or Central Working Committee) is to elect presidents and secretaries, while it is also responsible for promoting PML-N activities.<ref name="PMLN's Central Committee">{{cite web|title=Central Working Committee of Pakistan Muslim League-N|url=http://www.pmln.org/central-working-committee-of-pakistan-muslim-league-n/|website=PMLN.org|publisher=PMLN's Central Committee|access-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505223724/http://www.pmln.org/central-working-committee-of-pakistan-muslim-league-n/|archive-date=5 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The GCM's meetings are generally held at the [[Jinnah Convention Centre]] in [[Islamabad]].<ref name="News International, Anis">{{cite news|last1=Anis|first1=Mohammad|title=Elected president PML-N unopposed Zardari has no respect for agreements, charters, says Nawaz|url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-7702-Elected-president-PML-N-unopposed-Zardari-has-no-respect-for-agreements-charters-says-Nawaz|access-date=2 April 2015|agency=News International|publisher=News International, Anis|date=28 July 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402193149/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-7702-Elected-president-PML-N-unopposed-Zardari-has-no-respect-for-agreements-charters-says-Nawaz|archive-date=2 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Nawaz Sharif was elected President of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) in 2011.<ref name="Dawn, 2011">{{cite news|title=Nawaz Sharif elected unopposed PML-N president|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/647332/nawaz-sharif-elected-unopposed-pml-n-president|access-date=2 April 2015|agency=Dawn|publisher=Dawn, 2011|date=27 July 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042004/http://www.dawn.com/news/647332/nawaz-sharif-elected-unopposed-pml-n-president|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The General Council Meeting raises funds and coordinates campaign strategy, and it has local committees in every [[Provinces of Pakistan|province]] and in most large cities, counties, and legislative districts, but these have far less money and influence than the national body.<ref name="News International, Anis"/> The Central Secretariat and the Parliament Lodges of the [[Pakistan Parliament]] play important roles in recruiting strong state candidates.<ref name="News International, Anis"/>
Nawaz Sharif has been accused of corruption and involvement in smuggling large amounts of money outside the country, and he was recently revealed by the [[Panama Papers]] to have been involved in hiding money in offshore accounts and companies.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ABC news Australia|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-04/pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-embroiled-in-panama-papers-leak/7298598|title=Panama Papers: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked to explain family wealth following leak|date=4 Apr 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809122100/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-04/pakistan-pm-nawaz-sharif-embroiled-in-panama-papers-leak/7298598|archive-date=9 August 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Panama Papers and Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36092356|publisher=BBC|date=21 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114090446/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36092356|archive-date=14 January 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/world/asia/nawaz-sharif-leaves-pakistan-panama-papers-scandal.html?_r=0|title=Pakistan's Premier Leaves the Country Amid Panama Papers Scandal|date=14 April 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418231009/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/world/asia/nawaz-sharif-leaves-pakistan-panama-papers-scandal.html?_r=0|archive-date=18 April 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
==Ideology==
===Economic policies===
[[File:Lahore-Islamabad Motorway.jpg|thumb|right|200px|In 1997, the PML(N) built the largest and notable [[Controlled-access highway]], known as ''[[M-2 motorway (Pakistan)|M-2 Motorway]]''.]]
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) policies include [[conservative liberalism]], [[Environmental protection|environmental conservation]], and most importantly, [[economic liberalism]]. Throughout its history, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) has emphasised the role of [[free markets]] and individual achievement as the primary factors behind economic prosperity, deregulation of all segments of the economic order, and the strong base of capitalism.<ref name="Pakistan Muslim League-N Economic">{{cite web|title=Agricultural and Rural Development|url=http://pmln.org/agricultural-and-rural-development/|publisher=PML-N Official|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911053414/http://pmln.org/agricultural-and-rural-development/|archive-date=11 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 1991, the PML-N's government established the [[National Highway Authority (Pakistan)|National Highway Authority]] followed by inaugurating the [[M2 motorway (Pakistan)|''M2 Motorways'']] in 1997.<ref name="Pakistan Muslim League-N Economic"/>
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) generally opposes labour union management and large-scale workers' unions.<ref name="Pakistan Muslim League-N Economic"/> The party holds that "prosperous agriculture is the backbone of national prosperity and diversification of the rural economy, by expanding non-farm rural employment, is critical for the alleviation of poverty". During its federal government, the PML-N successfully privatised the major heavy industries under its planned industrial development programme.<ref>{{cite web|title=Industrial Development|publisher=PML-N Official|url=http://pmln.org/industrial-development/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911053752/http://pmln.org/industrial-development/|archive-date=11 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
===Environmental policies===
{{See also|2012 Pakistan fake medicine crisis}}
[[File:Nawaz Sharif Park, D.G. Khan.jpg|200px|thumb|A national reserve park in [[Dera Ghazi Khan District|DG Khan District]], established by PML(N).]]
In 1997, the [[Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] was established by the PML-N government, and its [[Ministry of Environment (Pakistan)|Ministry of Environment]] was one of the most notable government offices to protect national conservation and forestry in the country. In 1997, environmental [[Public service announcement|PSAs]] were regularly paid for by the government to enhance and promote environmental awareness among the public.
However, the ministry's environmental policies remain a subject of ongoing controversy, often criticised for ignoring the health of the environment despite the party's declarations. The PML-N's [[Government of Punjab, Pakistan|provincial government]] in [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab Province]] came under intense media, opposition, and public anger after failing to counter the [[2011 dengue outbreak in Pakistan|2011 dengue fever outbreak]] due to its apathy and the inadequacy of steps taken to enforce environmental awareness and regulations. Recently, the prestige of PML-N has suffered after the government's [[Ministry of Health (Pakistan)|Health]] and [[Ministry of Environment (Pakistan)|Environment ministries]] failed to properly inspect the quality of medicines, resulting in major counterfeiting and environmental crises, which put the party's environmental and health policies in great doubt.
===Science and politics===
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) is credited for ordering and authorizing the country's first nuclear tests (see ''[[Chagai-I]]'' and ''[[Chagai-II]]'') amid immense international pressure. It is also responsible for establishing the [[Pakistan Antarctic Programme]] as part of its science and technology strategy. Together with their main rival, the [[Pakistan People’s Party]], the Pakistan Muslim League (N) is also responsible for increasing [[Pakistan and its Nuclear Deterrent Program|Pakistan's nuclear deterrent]] as well as boosting the nation's [[Nuclear power in Pakistan|nuclear power]] growth, first establishing the [[Chashma Nuclear Power Plant]] expansion as part of its nuclear policy.
===Foreign policy issues===
The party has been long advocated for broader and stronger [[Foreign policy of Pakistan|relations]] with the [[Pakistan–United States relations|United States]], [[China–Pakistan relations|China]], the [[Pakistan–United Kingdom relations|United Kingdom]], [[Pakistan–European Union relations|European Union]], [[Pakistan–Singapore relations|Singapore]], [[Malaysia–Pakistan relations|Malaysia]], and [[Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]], as well as [[India–Pakistan relations|India]].<ref name="Pakistan Muslim League-N">{{cite web|title=National Security and Foreign Policy|url=http://pmln.org/national-security-and-foreign-policy/|publisher=PML-N Official|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911060501/http://pmln.org/national-security-and-foreign-policy/|archive-date=11 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> In 1999, the party's government successfully signed the ''[[Lahore Declaration]]'' with India.<ref name="Pakistan Muslim League-N"/>
The Pakistan Muslim League (N) remains sceptical about [[Pakistan's role in the War on Terror|the country's role in the war on terror]], although it is firmly opposed to religious extremism and terrorism in all its manifestations.<ref name="PMLN-Extremism and Terrorism">{{cite web|publisher=PML-N Official|title=Extremism and Terrorism|url=http://pmln.org/extremism-and-terrorism/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911055544/http://pmln.org/extremism-and-terrorism/|archive-date=11 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref> While it remains a strong supporter of the United States' financial and fiscal policies, it remains undecided about the military operations on its western frontier to curb militancy, with many PML-N intellectuals regarding the War on Terror as a campaign against Islam.<ref name="PMLN-Extremism and Terrorism"/> During its previous tenure from 1997 to 1999, the PML-N government took a series of measures to control terrorist groups by establishing the [[Anti Terrorism Court of Pakistan|Anti Terrorism Courts]].<ref name="PMLN-Extremism and Terrorism"/> The PML-N's leadership remains an avid supporter of [[Indian-held Kashmir]], and numerous times it had made it clear that the party will "never compromise this long standing position on Kashmir dispute".<ref name="PMLN-Extremism and Terrorism"/>
==Leaders==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="min-width:40em"
|-
!colspan=5|List of presidents of the Pakistan Muslim League (N)
|-
!Order!!Image!! Presidents!! Year !! Rationale
|-
|1|| [[File:Nawaz Sharif detail, 981203-D-9880W-117.jpg|90px]] || [[Nawaz Sharif]] || 1993–1999 || First term
|-
|2|| [[File:Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif - White House - 2013 (cropped 2).jpg|106x106px]] || [[Kulsoom Nawaz]] || 1999–2001 || First term
|-
|3|| [[File:Javed Hashmi (cropped).jpg|91x91px]] || [[Javed Hashmi]] || 2001–2005 || First term
|-
|4|| [[File:Nisar Ali Khan 2017.jpg|90x90px]] || [[Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan]] || 2005–2009 || First term
|-
|5|| [[File:Mian Shehbaz Sharif.JPG|118x118px]] || [[Shehbaz Sharif]] || 2009–2010 || First term
|-
|(3)|| [[File:Javed Hashmi (cropped).jpg|91x91px]] || [[Javed Hashmi]] || 2010–2011 || Second term
|-
|(1)|| [[File:Nawaz Sharif January 2015.jpg|123x123px]] || [[Nawaz Sharif]] || 2011–2017 || Second term
|-
|(5)|| || [[Sardar Yaqoob Nasar]] || 2017 || First term
|-
|(1)|| [[File:PrimeMinisterNawazSharif.jpg|90px]] || [[Nawaz Sharif]] || 2017–2018 || Third term
|-
|(5)||[[File:CM Punjab Shehbaz Hajra (35706248992) (cropped).jpg|90px]] || [[Shehbaz Sharif]] || 2018–2024 || Second term
|-
|(1)|| [[File:PrimeMinisterNawazSharif.jpg|90px]] || [[Nawaz Sharif]] || 2024–present || Fourth term
|-
|}
== Challenges and controversies ==
===Operation Clean-up===
{{Main|Operation Clean-up}}
Nawaz Sharif, during his first tenure as prime minister of Pakistan (1990–1993), launched a [[military operation]] against his own allies in government, MQM, for allegations against [[Jinnahpur|the Jinnahpur conspiracy]]. Later, the ISPR denied any knowledge of the Jinnahpur conspiracy and separatist maps, which were highly publicized in the media prior to the operation's launch. Thousands of MQM activists were killed, its leadership arrested, and its head, [[Altaf Hussain (Pakistani politician)|Altaf Hussain]], fled to exile in the UK.
===Operation 1998===
During his second term as prime minister (1997–1999), Nawaz Sharif again launched an operation against MQM, who were again in alliance in Sharif's government, on accusations of assassinating [[Hakim Said|Hakeem Said]]. Due to MQM's militant activities and sectarian killings in Karachi, Nawaz Sharif was forced to end the alliance with MQM for the benefit of the nation. An elected PMLN Sindh government in alliance with MQM was dismissed and President's rule was imposed. The operation launched a new era of bloodshed in [[Karachi]] and many party leaders from MQM were arrested. [[Imran Farooq]] (MQM second in command at that time) was forced to flee Pakistan and took political asylum in the UK. Fasih Jugu, who was accused of assassination, was tortured to death by law enforcement officers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/646162-hakim-said-murder-still-shrouded-in-mystery|title=Hakim Said murder still shrouded in mystery|website=www.thenews.com.pk|access-date=2017-01-04|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104164224/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/646162-hakim-said-murder-still-shrouded-in-mystery|archive-date=4 January 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The operation resulted in major unrest as the PMLN government tried to nab the criminal elements ravaging the city of Karachi. This was one of the prime excuses the military conjured up for illegally ousting Nawaz Sharif's government in 1999 through martial law.
===Plane hijacking===
In 1999, Nawaz Sharif was allegedly involved in the hijacking of a plane carrying then Chief of Army Staff Pervez Musharraf as it was about to land at [[Jinnah International Airport|Karachi airport]], and the control tower ordered the plane not to land in Pakistan but India instead. However, Musharraf and his loyalists had been planning a coup for months and some versions of the story claim that Musharraf orchestrated the coup from the plane and the military didn't allow the plane to land until Musharraf was assured that the military was in control of the airport. The military forced the courts to convict Sharif and sentence him to life imprisonment in 2000. General Musharraf had initially decided to hang Nawaz Sharif but under pressure from the President of the United States Bill Clinton and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, he decided not to go through with the plan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistans-deposed-pm-waits-to-hear-if-he-will-be-hanged-279668.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistans-deposed-pm-waits-to-hear-if-he-will-be-hanged-279668.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pakistan's deposed PM waits to hear if he will be hanged|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-06-11|language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2010, The Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned Nawaz' conviction, making him eligible to run for power again.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/17/nawaz-sharif-hijack-conviction-overturned|title=Pakistan court quashes Sharif hijacking conviction|agency=Associated Press|date=2009-07-17|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=2017-01-04|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104165340/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/17/nawaz-sharif-hijack-conviction-overturned|archive-date=4 January 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
===Allegations of corruption===
PMLN has been accused of corruption in revolutionary economic schemes such as the Yellow Cab Scheme, The National Debt Retirement Programme (NDRP), the Sasti Roti Scheme, and the [[Nandipur Power Project]]. More recently, an international newspaper published [[Panama Papers|the Panama papers]], naming Sharif's sons as among people who created offshore companies. Nawaz Sharif is accused of using corruption money to grow his assets in his business ventures and [[Ittefaq Group]]. Also, Nawaz Sharif was condemned to 10 years in lockup for money laundering, including his daughter Maryam Nawaz for 7 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/01/uproar-in-pakistan-over-claim-of-meddling-in-nawaz-sharif-case|title=Uproar in Pakistan over claim of meddling in Nawaz Sharif case|website=[[TheGuardian.com]]|date=December 2021}}</ref> On 29 September 2022, [[Islamabad High Court]] overturned the corruption conviction of [[Maryam Nawaz]] and her husband [[Muhammad Safdar Awan|Muhammad Safdar]]. Maryam Nawaz is now eligible to run for election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hussain |first=Abid |title=Pakistani court acquits Maryam Nawaz in corruption case |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/29/pakistani-court-acquits-maryam-nawaz-in-corruption-case |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref>
===Panama papers case and its implications===
The Panama Papers case was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan that disqualified the incumbent prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, from holding public office for life.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40750671|title=Pakistan PM Sharif resigns after verdict|date=2017-07-28|access-date=2019-05-29|language=en-GB|archive-date=28 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728072203/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40750671|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Supreme Court of Pakistan was petitioned by opposition politicians Imran Khan and Sheikh Rasheed, in the aftermath of the Panama Papers leak, which uncovered links between the Sharif family and eight offshore companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/pakistan-supreme-court-hears-panama-leaks-case-161101080340730.html|title=Pakistan: Supreme Court hears Panama leaks case|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/01/maryam-safdar-named-panama-papers-beneficiary-170123132820149.html|title=Maryam Safdar named in Panama Papers as beneficiary|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/369465-PTI-lawyer-presents-arguments-in-Panama-Papers-cas|title=PTI lawyer presents arguments in Panama Papers case – Pakistan – Dunya News|website=dunyanews.tv|date=14 February 2008 |access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> The Court ordered for a Joint Investigation Team to be formed for the inquiry into allegations of money laundering, corruption and contradictory statements made by the Sharif family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1336384/sc-reserves-judgment-panamagate-case/|title=SC reserves judgment in Panamagate case|last=Tribune.com.pk|date=2017-02-23|website=The Express Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> On 10 July 2017, JIT submitted a 275-page report<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.suchtv.pk/pakistan/general/item/56626-panama-case-jit-complete-report.html|title=Read Complete Report of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) in Panama Case|author=News Desk|website=SUCH TV|date=13 July 2017 |language=en-gb|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/353599441/Panama-Case-JIT-Full-Report|title=Panama Case JIT Full Report|website=Scribd|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The report found that Sharif, his sons and his daughter Maryam Nawaz could not justify their income nor their assets, adding that Maryam Nawaz had been proved to be a beneficial owner of Nielsen and Nescoll.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.samaa.tv/news/2017/07/jit-report-recommends-filing-of-reference-against-pm-sons-in-nab/|title=JIT recommends filing of reference against PM, sons with NAB {{!}} Samaa Digital|website=Samaa TV|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> The report also showed that Maryam Nawaz had falsified evidence before the Supreme Court, proven as the Calibri font used in the document did not exist at the time when documents were said to have been created.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1344654|title=JIT report raises doubts about use of 'Calibri' font in papers submitted by Maryam|last=Dawn.com|date=2017-07-11|website=DAWN.COM|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1344685|title=We asked the creator of Calibri to weigh in on the JIT debate|last=Siddiqui|first=Zain|date=2017-07-12|website=DAWN.COM|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> After hearing all arguments and based on evidence provided by the JIT, the Supreme Court of Pakistan announced its unanimous decision and disqualified the Prime Minister from holding public office, finding that he had been dishonest in not disclosing his employed in the Dubai-based Capital FZE company in his nomination papers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1348191|title=Nawaz Sharif steps down as PM after SC's disqualification verdict|last=Dawn.com|first=Haseeb Bhatti {{!}}|date=2017-07-28|website=DAWN.COM|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref>
Stemming from the JIT investigation, and based on NAB's investigations, the court sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years of imprisonment in relation to the Avenfield Apartments case. The sentence also extended to his daughter Maryum Nawaz, and Son-in-Law Retired Captain Safdar, who were given 7 years and 1 year imprisonment respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1418482|title=Accountability court terms Sharif family 'monolith' in verdict|last=Iqbal|first=Nasir|date=2018-07-07|website=DAWN.COM|language=en|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> On 29 September 2022, a Pakistani court quashed the conviction of Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, in a corruption case that had seen her sentenced to seven years in jail. A two-judge panel found there was no evidence to prove the prosecution case that Maryam Nawaz abetted any corruption in buying high-end apartments in London.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shahzad |first=Asif |date=2022-09-29 |title=Pakistan court acquits former PM Sharif's daughter in graft case |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-court-acquits-former-pm-sharifs-daughter-graft-case-2022-09-29/ |access-date=2023-02-16}}</ref>
In the following election, PMLN suffered a massive blow due to these corruptions charges, with a net loss of 24.35%.<ref name="bbc.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44961193|title=Ex-cricketer Khan leads Pakistan elections|date=2018-07-26|access-date=2019-05-29|language=en-GB}}</ref> PMLN blamed this primarily on alleged vote rigging and administrative malpractices.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pakistan-politics-pmln-analysis-idUKKBN1IC0WH|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214122221/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-pakistan-politics-pmln-analysis-idUKKBN1IC0WH|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 February 2019|title=Blow after blow dims re-election hopes of Pakistan's ruling party|date=2018-05-11|work=Reuters|access-date=2019-05-29|language=en}}</ref> However, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) outright rejected such reports and stated that the elections were conducted fair and free.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1766411/1-ecp-rejects-political-parties-claim-rigging-election-day/|title=ECP rejects political parties' claim of 'rigging' on election day|last=Tribune.com.pk|date=2018-07-26|website=The Express Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref> The European Union Election Observation Mission said that no rigging had been found during the election, and polling was termed to be "transparent".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/27/pakistan-election-imran-khan-official-results-win-coalition|title=EU piles pressure on Imran Khan after Pakistan election {{!}} Pakistan |website=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-29}}</ref>
In a hearing presided over by a division bench consisting of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Miangul Hasan Aurangzeb, appeals filed by Nawaz Sharif against his sentence in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills cases were considered. The result of the proceedings was the acquittal of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 29 November 2023 from the charges pertaining to the Avenfield Apartments references.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Shehzad |date=29 November 2023 |title=Nawaz Sharif acquitted of charges in Avenfield Apartments case |url=https://www.samaa.tv/208735348-nawaz-sharif-acquitted-of-charges-in-avenfield-apartments-case}}</ref>
=== Allegations of treachery ===
Nawaz gave an interview to Dawn News on 12 May 2018 in which he said that non-state actors from Pakistan were involved in the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|Mumbai terrorist attacks]] in 2008. A spokesman for Sharif said that Indian media had twisted his statement to make it seem like he had suggested that the state of Pakistan endorsed and was directly involved in the attacks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/nawaz-sharif-grossly-misinterpreted-over-remarks-on-mumbai-attack-party-blames-malicious-propaganda-by-media-4468209.html|title=Nawaz Sharif 'grossly misinterpreted' over remarks on Mumbai attack: Party blames 'malicious propaganda' by media |website=Firstpost|date=14 May 2018|access-date=2018-06-11}}</ref> A National Security Council meeting was called by the Pakistan Army which declared the allegations were based on lies and misconception without specifically naming Sharif.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Sanaullah |last2=Hussain |first2=Javed |date=2018-05-14 |title=NSC unanimously terms 'statement' on Mumbai attacks as 'incorrect and misleading' |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1407628 |publisher=DAWN.COM |access-date=2018-06-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Pakistan|Politics|Conservatism}}
* [[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]]
* [[Nawaz Sharif]]
* [[Maryam Nawaz]]
* [[Conservatism in Pakistan|Right-wing politics in Pakistan]]
* [[Liaquat Ali Khan]]
* [[Pakistan Movement]]
* [[Pakistan–United States relations]]
* [[List of Islamic political parties]]
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
== General bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Ahmed |first1=Akbar |date=2005 |title=Jinnah, Pakistan, and Islamic Identity: A Search for Saladin |publisher=Routledge |isbn=1134750226}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Akbar |first1=M. K. |date=1997 |title=Pakistan from Jinnah to Sharif |publisher=Mittal Publications |location=New Delhi |isbn=8170996740}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Dixit |first1=J. N. |date=2002 |title=India-Pakistan in War and Peace |location=New York |publisher=Routledge |isbn=1134407572 |page=504}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Jalal |first1=Ayesha |date=2014 |title=The Struggle for Pakistan: A Muslim Homeland and Global Politics |location=Cambridge, Mass. |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0674052895 |page=440}}
* {{Cite book |editor-last1=Majumdar |editor-first1=R. |date=1998 |title=Pakistan: Jinnah to the Present Day |edition=1st |location=New Delhi |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=8174888640}}
{{Refend}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}
* {{Official website|http://www.pmln.org/}}
{{Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}
{{Pakistani political parties}}
{{Pakistan topics}}
{{Conservatism in Pakistan}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pakistan Muslim League (N)}}
[[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (N)| ]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Pakistan]]