The 358 newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly took oath on Wednesday. Outgoing Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mohammad Iqbal administered the oath to the new legislators. Elections for the slots of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly will take place today (Thursday) after which a new chief minister will be elected.
The PTI has nominated Chaudhry Pervez Elahi as Speaker and Dost Muhammad Mazari as Deputy Speaker while the PML-N has nominated Chaudhry Iqbal Gujjar for the Speaker's slot and Mian Mujataba as Deputy Speaker. The PML (N) members took oath while wearing black arm bands. PTI MPA Sardar Mohsin Laghari submitted a resolution for creation of province of South Punjab and demanded of the federal government to start the process immediately. PML-N MPA Hina Pervez Butt also submitted a resolution regarding alleged rigging in 2018 elections. She demanded that the government should constitute a committee to probe the allegations of Result Transmission System (RTS) failure which submitted its report in one month.
The prominent members who took oath as MPAs included Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, Aleem Khan, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Syed Hassan Hassan Murtaza, Syed Ali Haider Gillani, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Salman Rafique, Chaudhry Zaheerud Din, Raja Bisharat, Jugno Mohsin, Bilal Yasin, Nadeem Kamran, Irfan Doltana, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Mohsin Laghari, Murad Ras, Dr Mukhtar Bharat, Zakia Shahnawaz, Uzma Bukhari, Hina Pervaiz Butt, Uzma Kardar and Talat Naqvi.
However, estranged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar did not attend the session.
The PML-N members chanted slogans "Chor Aaya, Chor Aaya" when PML-Q leader Pervez Elahi entered the House. Newly-elected member of the PML-N Zaib-un-Nisa Awan entered the House carrying portraits of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif while PML-N MPA Tariq Gill made his entry by wearing iron chains.
In the 371-member Punjab Assembly, the PTI is leading with 179 seats followed by the PML-N with 164 seats, the PML-Q with 10 seats and the PPP with seven seats. There are four independent candidates in the provincial legislature. While talking to the media outside the Assembly, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said they have returned to the Punjab Assembly after 14 years.
Elahi said they will try to run the House in a better way. He also expressed his will to work jointly with opposition for the development of the province. PTI's Central Punjab President Abdul Aleem Khan said that today is a historic day as the people of Punjab have given a verdict against the Sharif brothers. He said the PTI chairman has already made it clear that they are ready for recount of votes in any constituency. He claimed they would try their best to improve the conditions of hospitals.