LAHORE: Following the PML-N’s thrashing defeat at the hands of the PTI in the Punjab by-elections, the party’s supremo, Nawaz Sharif, blamed the failure on the center’s “difficult decisions.” According to preliminary and unofficial results, the PTI swept the Punjab by-elections, winning 15 of the 20 seats, while the ruling PML-N suffered a crushing defeat, winning only four. According to sources, Nawaz stated that his party paid the price for the coalition government’s “difficult decisions.” According to sources close to the situation, the PML-N leader spoke with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz about the party’s future strategy in light of the by-election results. He also directed them to call an emergency party meeting. “We respect public opinion,” sources quoted the PML-N leader as saying. ‘PML-N should accept results with an open heart’ Earlier, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter to say that the defeat should be accepted with open arms after unofficial results showed the PTI in the lead. “The PML-N should accept the results of the by-polls with an open heart and concede to the decision of the masses,” Maryam wrote. She added that winning and losing was part of politics, therefore, the party should now focus on its weaknesses, identify them, and then overcome them. “God willing, everything will be fine,” she said.