PTI’s Sibtain Khan was elected as the new speaker of the Punjab Assembly on Friday, and his first order of business was to allow a motion to be moved against Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari.
The office of the speaker fell vacant when Sibtain’s predecessor Chaudhry Parvez Elahi became the chief minister.
Key developments
- Sibtain Khan elected new speaker, sworn in shortly after
- Sibtain bags 185 votes, while PML-N’s Khokhar secures 175
- Session chaired by panel of chairmen member Wasim Badozai
- Voting briefly paused after PML-N candidate questions ballot papers
- Speaker’s office fell vacant after Parvez Elahi became CM
- PTI’s Raja Basharat submits no-trust motion against Dost Mazari as deputy speaker
Sibtain was victorious with 185 votes, while Khokhar managed 175. Four votes were rejected. He was later sworn in as the speaker.PTI’s Shireen Mazari congratulated the new speaker after the election, and termed his victory “another failure for the imported govt”.
Friday’s session was chaired by Panel of Chairmen member Wasim Badozai.
However, at 8pm, voting, which was by secret ballot, was temporarily halted after the opposition benches alleged foul play.
Saiful Malook Khokhar, PML-N’s nominee for the speaker, raised objections over the serial numbers on the ballot papers and reportedly threw them away. Subsequently, Badozai called security to the House.
Later, polling resumed, following which former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz cast his vote.
After Sibtain took charge as speaker, former law minister Raja Basharat presented a resolution seeking permission to initiate no-confidence proceedings against Mazari as the deputy speaker. The resolution was approved for voting. The voting will be conducted through secret ballot.
Earlier, lawmakers arrived at the assembly building, and television footage showed Hamza speaking briefly to reporters.In its proceedings yesterday, the House adopted a resolution seeking the suspension of the assembly rules that authorise the governor to summon a session for the contest and also holding a vote of no-confidence against Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Mohammad Mazari today.
