LAHORE: After the Punjab Assembly was sealed off with barbed wires and the building’s main gate was locked, the opposition lawmakers, led by the PML-N, held a session of their own at a local hotel in which about 199 MPAs through a resolution reposed their trust on Hamza Shehbaz.
The session of united opposition MPAs comprising PML-N PPP, JKT, Aleem Khan, Asad Khokhar Groups and others also condemned Punjab Assembly Speaker and officers for imposing restrictions on MPAs, media and taking negative tactics on the steps taken by Deputy speaker Sardar Dost Mohammad Mazari. The session which was chaired by panel of Chairman Shazia Abid also slammed the unconstitutional and illegal steps taken in Punjab Assembly to stop election of new Chief Minister.
PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shehbaz reached along with others. A large number of PML-N activists were also present in the hotel.
PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz told media that Hamza Shehbaz has been elected as the chief minister Punjab and congratulated the people of the province.
Opposition holds 'symbolic session' of its own after Punjab Assembly is sealed off
The session and Hamza’s subsequent victory appears to be a show of strength, as the session was held outside the Punjab Assembly and attended only by opposition lawmakers, while neither Speaker Parvez Elahi nor Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari presided it. Furthermore, no notification regarding the change of session’s venue or Hamza’s victory was issued by the Punjab Assembly Secretariat.
It may be noted that the joint opposition had held a mock session in the National Assembly on Sunday after the actual session was wrapped up by NA Depute Speaker Qasim Khan Suri.
However, Maryam claimed that the session would have the backing of the Constitution and law and will not just be symbolic. She also tweeted that Hamza had been elected as Punjab’s new chief minister by the opposition members with 199 votes.
Reacting to the development, PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi, whose father Chaudhry Parvez Elahi is also a candidate for chief ministry, quipped: “Congratulations Hamza sahab for becoming the chief minister of Faletti’s Hotel.” Earlier, talking to the media in Lahore, Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari said that an assembly session could be called anywhere. He said he had consulted legal experts who advised him to carry out the chief minister’s election immediately on today’s date.
Mazari alleged the PA Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and his staff were afraid that he would create a dangerous situation for them. He said he had exercised his authority in accordance with the Constitution as the biggest province of Pakistan was without a chief minister.
Moreover, a large contingent of police carrying batons and equipped with shields was deployed outside the actual building of the assembly. Water cannons and Rescue 1122 vehicles were also present outside the assembly’s building.
The provincial assembly has to elect the new leader of the house after Usman Buzdar resigned last month after a no-confidence motion was submitted against him. PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi with PTI’s support and PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz, who has secured the support of PTI’s dissident lawmakers, the Jahangir Khan Tarin and Aleem Khan, Asad Khokhar groups, are in the run. To be elected as chief minister, a candidate will need at least 186 votes in the 371-member house. In the Punjab Assembly, the PTI has 183 lawmakers, PML-Q 10, PML-N 165, PPP seven, five are independent and one belongs to Rah-i-Haq.
After the session at local hotel, Maryam told media that public mandate was stolen by Imran Niazi in 2018 elections who had also abrogated the Constitution.
She expressed gratitude to all the MPAs including those of JKT, Aleem Khan and Asad Khokhar groups for coming forward for a cause.
She also slammed Imran Khan for becoming a stooge of international conspiracy. She said she would be at forefront for the rights of people of all the provinces if any conspiracy was made to dissolve provincial assemblies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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