| Election Name: | 1997 Punjab provincial election |
| Country: | Punjab, Pakistan |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Year: | 1993 |
| Next Election: | 2002 Punjab provincial election |
| Next Year: | 2002 |
| Seats For Election: | All 240 seats in the Provincial Assembly |
| Majority Seats: | 120 |
| Election Date: | 3 February 1997 |
| Leader1: | Pervaiz Elahi |
| Party1: | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
| Leaders Seat1: | Gujrat-IV |
| Last Election1: | 105 |
| Popular Vote1: | 6,608,784 |
| Percentage1: | 53.29 |
| Seats1: | 211 |
| Seat Change1: | 106 |
| Leader2: | Did not declare |
| Party2: | Pakistan Peoples Party |
| Last Election2: | 93 |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,557,786 |
| Percentage2: | 20.63% |
| Seats2: | 3 |
| Seat Change2: | 90 |
| Chief Minister | |
| Posttitle: | Elected Chief Minister |
| Before Election: | Manzoor Wattoo |
| Before Party: | PML(J) |
| After Election: | Shehbaz Sharif |
| After Party: | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
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]
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]
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.[4]