LAHORE: Punjab Assembly, which resumed its session here on Sunday with Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari in the chair, was adjourned till April 6 (Wednesday), without holding election for new Chief Minister.
The provincial assembly was to vote on Sunday to elect the new leader of the house. The contenders were PML-Q’s PTI-backed Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz, who had secured the support of Jahangir Khan Tarin (JKT) and Aleem groups besides independents.
The Sunday’s session could last for only six minutes amid ruckus by opposition and treasury lawmakers. The House will meet again at 11am on April 6. To be elected as chief minister, a candidate will require 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 independents and one belongs to Rah-i-Haq.
Ahead of Sunday’s Punjab Assembly session, the press gallery of the assembly was locked, barring journalists from covering the proceedings. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi told media on arrival at the assembly premises that Pakistan Muslim League-Q would win the vote count.
When asked about the opposition joint candidate Hamza Shehbaz claiming to have over 200 lawmaker’s support, Elahi responded, “They could have said over 500 instead of 200.” He said he is the candidate for the chief ministership after being nominated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) while Hamza Shehbaz Sharif is the joint candidate nominated by the joint opposition.
The PML-N leader Azma Bukhari condemned Pervaiz Elahi for not allowing media to cover the assembly proceedings.
Talking to media, she said the PTI women MPAs attacked them and on this count, the House was adjourned. She said Hamza Shehbaz was enjoying support of majority members of the House with 199 members but foul tactics were used to avoid defeat. “Imran Khan has become a security risk, we are using all options and would expose the undemocratic people,” she said.
Answering a question, she said there is no Leader of the House in Punjab Assembly and assembly cannot be dissolved without his advice. She also criticized Pervaiz Elahi for spoiling his political career by foul means.
To another query, she said the united opposition would take decisions, unanimously. However, PML-N senior leader Khawaja Saad Rafique termed the adjournment of the Punjab Assembly session unconstitutional.
PPP leader Hassan Murtaza told media that Speaker National Assembly and Punjab Assembly committed unconstitutional acts and exposed them to violation of Article 6. “The Opposition wanted relief for the people but the incumbent government had opted unconstitutional way and we would face them on every front,” he said.
Answering a question about options of fresh elections or no-trust motion, he said, legal team is holding consultation and the decisions would be taken with mutual consultation.
Meanwhile, PTI leader Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan criticized the united opposition and labelled them “United Stooges Alliance (USA)” and claimed Imran Khan returned successful.
He said that the people are happy over foiling of conspiracy against the country’s sovereignty. He claimed that they were enjoying majority and on April 6, all members of JKT and Aleem Khan Groups would return to the party fold and vote to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
It may be added that the top ministerial slot of Punjab fell vacant with the acceptance of Sardar Usman Buzdar’s resignation. Buzdar had presented his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 28 after a delegation of senior lawmakers had submitted a no-trust motion against him with Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti on the same day.
Earlier, Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz got angry at a security guard when he tried to push away PML-N MPA Khawaja Imran Nazir at the assembly’s gate.
Visibly angry Hamza Shehbaz said to the security guard that he is an employee of the Punjab Assembly and not a personal employee of someone. “The outgoing government has been doing all the unconstitutional tactics,” he commented. He added that Imran Niazi has been held under the law of Almighty not in the law of politics.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022