LAHORE – The candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Sibtain Khan was elected as the Speaker of Punjab Assembly, as he defeated opposition candidate Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar.
Panel of Chairman Wasim Badozai, who presided over the provincial assembly session, announced that Sibtain Khan defeated Khokhar by taking 185 votes.
The polling process was earlier stopped after opposition MPs raised objections on the counterfoil of the ballots and threw them towards the opposition benches.
Reports in lcoal media said at least four ballot papers were gone missing with the Panel of Chairman Wasim Badozai summoned security personnel inside the house. PML-N lawmakers have also surrounded the PA secretary and other staff conducting the election.
The much-sought election for Punjab Assembly speaker was held through a secret ballot as Imran Khan-led PTI and coalition-backed PML-N have pitched their candidates for the coveted post.
The ruling coalition has a strength of 186 lawmakers whereas PML-N, PPP, and a few independents constitute a strength of 178, per reports.
Earlier this week, the House adopted a resolution for voting of no-confidence against Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari at 4 pm on Friday.
The Speaker’s seat fell vacant after Parvez Elahi was named the new Chief Minister’s office and the new ruling planned to oust Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari for supporting Hamza Shahbaz.
The polling comes days after the fiasco over the Punjab Chief Minister seat, as the country’s apex court revoked Dost Mazari’s ruling in the Punjab chief minister’s election and ruled that PTI’s candidate Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province.
Punjab Assembly passes no-confidence motion against deputy speaker Dost Mazari
The Supreme Court then declared the PML-Q leader as the duly elected chief minister of the most populated province as it ruled that he had obtained 186 votes compared to Hamza Shehbaz who got 179 votes.
