Punjab PA meets today to elect CM

Development comes as PM Imran, Qureshi, Asad Umar among other PTI leaders arrive in Lahore for day-long visit

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab Assembly would meet on Wednesday (Today) to elect the new chief minister, according to an announcement.

The late night development came amid political intrigues touching new height in the biggest province of the countrywait.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari adjourned the provincial assembly session till April 16.

However, in an about-turn the speaker recalled his earlier decision and convened the assembly to meet at 7.30pm.

Without specifying any reasons for the delay, Mazari said he had postponed the session to 11:30am on April 16 in the exercise of powers vested in him under Rule 25(b) of the Rules of the Procedures of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab 1997.

The development came as interim Prime Minister Imran Khan along with senior PTI leaders arrived in Lahore to take stock of the political situation in the province.

The premier was accompanied by Fawad Chaudhry, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pervez Khattak, Sheikh Rashid, and Asad Umar among other leaders.

PM Imran is reportedly in the city for one day to meet PA Speaker Parvez Elahi, former CM Usman Buzdar and other lawmakers ahead of the crucial vote that had now been delayed by another 10 days.

Elahi, who remained part of the government alliance in the face of the opposition's no-confidence resolution against PM Imran in return for the nomination for the chief minister slot, will also brief the interim premier on contacts with MPAs for the CM election.

PM Imran will also hold meetings with lawmakers from the PML-Q to take stock of the political situation in the province. Imran, who is serving as the interim PM after the dissolution of the assemblies, will also address PTI workers at an Iftar-dinner at the Governor’s House during his visit.

On April 3, members of the ruling PTI and the opposing PML-N traded barbs during the session, causing it to be adjourned till Wednesday.

The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari, had witnessed tensions between the two sides as a group of women lawmakers belonging to the ruling party moved towards the opposition benches for the recovery of three of their colleagues who had switched sides. However, the matter was dealt with in a peaceful manner.

Read Sarwar blasts PTI for ‘imposing’ Buzdar, ‘pleasing’ Chaudhrys

Later, as the deputy speaker started introducing nominees’ names, the lawmakers made another attempt, which evolved into a fiery argument, and led to the ruling party using abusive language against the opposition.

During this episode, a woman lawmaker belonging to the PML-N was slightly injured. This prompted the deputy speaker to adjourn the session.

To make matters worse, the suspension of the membership of 18 opposition MPAs in the Punjab  Assembly is under consideration over the ruckus witnessed during the previous session.

They include Rana Mashhood Ahmad, Tahir Khalil Sindhu, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Azmi Bukhari, Hina Pervaiz Butt and Aniza Fatima.

The Punjab Assembly speaker had formed a two-man committee, comprising the special secretary and director general of parliamentary affairs, to investigate the commotion in the last session.

The commission is due to present its report and might recommend the suspension of the opposition members, who were involved in “vandalising” the House.

Separately in Islamabad, Advocate General Punjab Ahmad Awais, while replying to Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial’s query, assured the apex court in Islamabad that the provincial assembly session would be held on Wednesday in accordance with law and the Constitution.

PML-N’s Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar told the court that the provincial government was conspiring to suspend the membership of around 40 opposition MPAs.

The advocate general replied that Tarar was making a false assertion.

However, a Punjab Assembly spokesperson later confirmed that the session would be held on April 16.

“There has been no decision on convening the session tomorrow [Wednesday]. There is not truth in reports being carried by some media channels,” he added.