Maryam Nawaz: Father, Husband, Children, Family Background

You’ve probably seen her name in headlines about Pakistan’s political dynasty, but the story of Maryam Nawaz goes far beyond her famous last name. Born into the Sharif family, she has stepped out of her father’s shadow to become the first woman Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province.

Born: 28 October 1973 ·
Office: 19th Chief Minister of Punjab (since 26 February 2024) ·
Political party: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) ·
Children: 3 ·
Father: Nawaz Sharif (three-time Prime Minister of Pakistan)

Six facts that frame Maryam Nawaz’s personal and political identity:

Who is Maryam Nawaz?

Maryam Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani politician who has served as the 19th Chief Minister of Punjab since 26 February 2024, making her the first woman to hold that office in Pakistan’s most populous province, according to the Wikipedia entry on her. She is a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the party led by her father, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Family background and early life

• Born on 28 October 1973 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, to Nawaz Sharif and Kulsoom Nawaz (Encyclopaedia Britannica — see snapshot).
• Her father, Nawaz Sharif, served as Prime Minister of Pakistan three times (1990–1993, 1997–1999, 2013–2017).
• Her mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, was a politician and first lady of Pakistan who passed away in 2018 after battling throat cancer.
• The Sharif family is Sunni Muslim, a fact publicly identified by Nawaz Sharif throughout his political career.

The pattern: Maryam’s entire identity is woven into one of Pakistan’s most powerful political dynasties. Her public life didn’t start from scratch — it began inside the Sharif household, which means her biography is inseparable from the party’s history.

Political career and role as Chief Minister

• She reportedly entered politics in 2012, according to a public profile on Hamariweb, and was first tasked with managing the 2013 election campaign for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
• In 2013, she became Chairperson of the PML-N Youth Wing, a role that increased her visibility within the party.
• In 2018, she was elected to the Punjab Provincial Assembly from constituency PP-159 in Lahore.
• On 26 February 2024, she was sworn in as the 19th Chief Minister of Punjab, as documented by Wikipedia entry.

How many husbands did Maryam Nawaz have?

According to biographical profiles, Maryam Nawaz has been married once — to Muhammad Safdar Awan, a former Pakistani politician and retired military officer. They were married in 1992, as noted in the Wikipedia entry for the Sharif family.

First marriage to Muhammad Safdar Awan

• Muhammad Safdar Awan is a retired captain of the Pakistan Army.
• He later entered politics and served as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
• The couple has three children together: one son, Muhammad Junaid Safdar, and two daughters, Mehr-un-Nisa Munir and Mahnoor Safdar, according to a public Facebook summary.
• There is no reliable evidence in available sources of a second marriage or divorce.

Marriage duration and current status

• Maryam Nawaz and Muhammad Safdar Awan remain married as of the latest public records.
• The marriage has been part of the public spotlight, with Safdar Awan often appearing alongside his wife at political events.
• A public profile on Hamariweb notes that she married at age 19, though this claim has low confidence as it lacks primary-source confirmation.

The trade-off: The marriage itself is well-documented, but the exact timeline of when she entered politics relative to her marriage remains softer. What’s clear is that her husband, also a political figure, has been a consistent presence in her public life.

Is Sharif family Shia or Sunni?

The Sharif family is Sunni Muslim. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has publicly identified as Sunni throughout his political career, and his late wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, was also Sunni.

Sect affiliation of the Sharif family

• Nawaz Sharif’s public statements and political alignment have consistently placed him within the Sunni tradition of Islam.
• There is no credible source in the available research that suggests any member of the immediate Sharif family follows Shia Islam.
• The family is Kashmiri-origin, which in the Pakistani context is predominantly Sunni.

Religious background of Maryam Nawaz

• Maryam Nawaz, as the daughter of Nawaz Sharif and Kulsoom Nawaz, is understood to follow the same Sunni tradition.
• However, the available sources in this research run do not provide a reliable primary-source confirmation of her personal sect or religious affiliation, as noted by Encyclopaedia Britannica (see snapshot).

The implication: The family’s Sunni identity is well-established, but Maryam Nawaz’s personal sect remains publicly unattested by primary sources.

What is the disease of Kulsoom Nawaz?

Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz’s mother, was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2017. She underwent treatment in the United Kingdom before passing away on 11 September 2018.

Kulsoom Nawaz’s illness and treatment

• Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2017.
• Traveled to the United Kingdom for medical treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation.
• Returned to Pakistan in early 2018 but her health continued to decline.
• Died on 11 September 2018 in Lahore.

Impact on family and Maryam Nawaz

• Kulsoom Nawaz’s illness came at a politically turbulent time for the Sharif family, with Nawaz Sharif facing legal challenges and disqualification from office.
• Maryam Nawaz took on an increasingly public role during her mother’s illness, managing both family responsibilities and political campaigning.
• Her mother’s death likely deepened Maryam’s political resolve, as she became the most prominent female figure in the PML-N after Kulsoom’s passing.

The implication: Kulsoom Nawaz’s illness and death created a vacuum in the family’s political structure. Maryam Nawaz stepped into that gap, accelerating her transition from a behind-the-scenes party worker to a front-line politician.

“Difficulty is the name of an ancient tool created purely to help us define who we are.”

— Maryam Nawaz, Instagram biography

Maryam Nawaz is a Pakistani politician who has served as the 19th Chief Minister of Punjab since 26 February 2024.

— Wikipedia summary

For the Sharif family — and for Maryam Nawaz herself — the path forward is defined by the duality of being both a dynastic heir and a first-time chief executive. Maryam’s political future depends on whether she can transform her family legacy into a governing record that stands on its own. The stakes are high: Pakistan’s most populous province, 127 million people, will be the stage where her biography meets its most consequential chapter.

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