PML-N After the Disqualification of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif:

Abstract

The 2017 disqualification of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif by Pakistan’s Supreme Court initiated a significant shift in Pakistan’s political trajectory and deeply affected the internal working, leadership, and public standing of the Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N). This study explores the party’s political transformation following the verdict,
contextualizing the episode within broader debates on judicial activism, civil–military relations, and democratic fragility. Scholarly works such as Jatoi et al. (2022) on judicial activism, Cheema (2018) on judicial overreach, and Malik (2001) on recurring political stalemates help frame this analysis. The paper further evaluates the political roles of Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif, who emerged as central figures in ensuring party cohesion, electoral relevance, and narrative control during a turbulent period. The research concludes that despite institutional pressures and leadership disruption, PML-N demonstrated resilience, reorganized effectively, and eventually restored Nawaz Sharif as party president in 2024.