1997 Punjab provincial election

Provincial Assembly elections were held in Punjab, Pakistan on 3 February 1997 to elect all 240 members of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, Pakistan along with nationwide general elections and three other provincial elections in Sindh, Balochistan, and North-West Frontier Province. The elections were held as a result of dismissal of Benazir Bhutto's second government by President Farooq Leghari in November 1996.^[1] After which, a caretaker government was inducted in Punjab under Mian muhammad Afzal Hayat, a former member of Punjab Assembly, as the Caretaker Chief Minister.^[2]

1997 Punjab provincial election

← 1993 3 February 1997 2002 →
All 240 seats in the Provincial Assembly 120 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Pervaiz Elahi Did not declare Party PML(N) PPP Leader's seat Gujrat-IV Last election 105 93 Seats won 211 3 Seat change 106 90 Popular vote 6,608,784 2,557,786 Percentage 53.29 20.63%
Chief Minister before election Manzoor Wattoo PML(J) Elected Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif PML(N)

Results

The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) achieved a landslide victory by securing 211 out of 240 seats, leaving their primary competitor, the Pakistan Peoples Party, far behind with just 3 seats at third place while the Independent candidates won 21 seats finishing second.^[3]

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Pakistan Muslim League (N)	6,608,784	53.22	211	+106
	Pakistan Peoples Party	2,557,786	20.60	3	-90
	Pakistan Muslim League (J)	175,171	1.41	2	−16
	Pakistan Democratic Party	50,026	0.40	1	New
	Muslim Ittehad Pakistan	27,378	0.22	1	New
	Others	440,663	3.55	0	–
	Independents	2,557,786	20.60	21	+3
Total		12,417,594	100.00	239	0
Source: Election Pakistan[4]

Aftermath

After the elections, Shehbaz Sharif assumed the role of Chief Minister of Punjab on February 20, 1997. His appointment to this position came about as a result of receiving 226 votes during the assembly vote, which lead to the formation of a supermajority government.^[5]