ISLAMABAD: The Opposition’s symbolic Punjab Assembly session elected PML-N leader Hamza Shabaz as the chief minister after the government sealed off the provincial assembly.
Members from the PML-N, PPP, PTI’s Jahangir Khan Tareen and Abdul Aleem Khan groups attended the session, with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also present.
PML-N leader and MPA Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has claimed that more than 200 MPAs are present at the hotel for the session.
After the resolution to elect Hamza as the new chief minister was accepted, the session witnessed loud chants, including “chief minister, Hamza Shahbaz”.
The Tareen and Aleem groups have parted ways with the PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan and decided to support the Opposition’s candidate for the chief minister’s office.
The chief minister’s office had fallen vacant after PTI’s Usman Buzdar resigned following PM Imran Khan’s decision to nominate PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi as the new CM.
Weeping after witnessing the ceremony, Maryam told Geo News that her tears were the tears of victory, as she prayed for her deceased mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, who died at a hospital in London.
Meanwhile, Hamza, while talking to journalists, said it was unfortunate that the assembly session could not take place today, as he slammed Speaker Pervaiz Elahi for barring MPAs and media personnel from entering the assembly’s building.
“These people are playing with the Constitution […] they cannot understand what is happening with them in Punjab and the Centre,” Hamza told journalists, who are expected to have a tough competition with Elahi for the top slot.
The PML-N leader slammed the PTI government for derailing the economy and worsening the crisis. “The stock market is bullish, while the dollar has reached a historic high.”
Moving on, the Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly slammed the PTI-led government for imprisoning Aleem, Tareen, Maryam, and other Opposition leaders for “revenge”.
Political crisis deepens
Meanwhile, the crisis in the Punjab Assembly deepened after the PTI filed a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari and the joint Opposition also decided to file a similar motion against Speaker Pervaiz Elahi.
The political situation took a new turn after Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari decided to summon a session today, instead of April 16 — a decision that drew the PTI and PML-Q’s ire, and they refused to accept it.
On the instructions of Elahi, a heavy contingent of police has been deployed outside the assembly secretariat to avoid any untoward situation.
Elahi also banned the entry of media persons to the provincial assembly, security staff confirmed.
The security of the provincial legislature has also put up barbed wires on the main gate of the assembly.
Speaking to Geo News earlier today, Mazari had said that the Punjab Assembly secretariat was “not cooperating” with him.
“I did not consult the Punjab government, the PTI or the speaker. I summoned the Assembly session in light of the Supreme Court’s orders,” Mazari had said.
Elahi has also withdrawn the powers of the deputy speaker.
Number game in Punjab
Both candidates — Hamza and Elahi — need at least 186 votes in the House of 371 to win the poll for the slot of CM Punjab.
With the house comprising 371 MPAs, the PML-N seems highly optimistic about regaining the crown of Punjab that it lost in 2018.
The Opposition claims that its joint strength comprising its own 160 MPAs (PML-N total strength is 165 out of which five MPAs are siding with the government), seven MPAs of PPP, and the rest from the rebel groups of PTI headed by Tareen and Aleem and four out of five independents, stands above 188.
On the other hand, the ruling coalition’s candidate has also used his experience and influence in winning the support of the JKT group’s MPAs. MPA Rafaqat Gilani, a part of the JKT group, has publicly claimed that he was “siding with Imran and cannot leave him at a crucial time”.
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