Shehbaz Sharif elected 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan as PTI boycotts NA session

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif was elected as 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan unopposed in a National Assembly session boycotted by former ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, ARY News reported.

Panel of Chair member Ayaz Sadiq, who was chairing the session, announced that Mian Shehbaz Sharif received 174 votes while his opponent PTI’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi received zero votes as PTI boycotted the session.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri was charing the session when it started but soon after PTI’s prime minister candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s speech, the Deputy Speaker left and PTI MNAs announced not only to boycott the election of prime minister but also announced to resign from National Aseembly. The session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by the national anthem.

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Suri defends himself

After the national anthem, Qasim Suri presented justification behind his April 3 ruling to dismiss the no-confidence motion against erstwhile prime minister Imran Khan.

PTI boycotts PM’s election

Speaking on the floor of NA, PTI leader and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi lashed out at joint opposition saying those who criticised each other in past have become united just to oust Imran Khan.

“There are also some people sitting in a joint alliance which played a key role in former PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s murder,” he said, adding that they all become united by neglecting the past.

Qureshi announced that he was Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) candidate for the PM slot but the party has decided to boycott the prime minister election process in National Assembly session.

“I am withdrawing as PTI candidate for PM election slot,” the former federal minister announced.

Qureshi further said that MQM-Pakistan was in alliance with PTI and did strong opposition against PPP-led provincial government in Sindh Assembly for 4 years but now they [MQM-P] are supporting the same PPP which baton-charged them in Karachi over local government bill protest.

During Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s speech, opposition benches chanted voting slogans and demanded NA deputy speaker elect new Leader of the House.

The National Assembly Secretariat Sunday accepted the nomination papers of President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif and Vice Chairman PTI Shah Mahmood Qureshi for the slot.

پاکستان تحریک انصاف کی پارلیمانی کمیٹی نے قومی اسمبلی سے مستعفیٰ ہونے کا فیصلہ کیا ہے، آج تمام اراکین اسمبلی اپنا استعفیٰ اسپیکر کو دے رہے ہیں اس کے ساتھ ہم نے غیر ملکی ایجنڈے پر ہونیوالے مقصود چپڑاسی کے نام نہاد انتخاب کا بھی حصہ بننے سے انکار کر دیا ہے۔۔۔ہم آزادی کیلئے لڑیں گے

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 11, 2022

PTI resigns from National Assembly

PTI also decided to resign from National Assembly after Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he would not sit in the assemblies with these thieves.

Confirming the decision, Sheikh Rasheed said that sitting in the assemblies would further strengthen Shehbaz Sharif and therefore it has been decided to submit resignations from the National Assembly.

“Imran Khan supported my suggestion during the parliamentary party meeting,” he said and added that Khan would visit Peshawar on Wednesday. “Imran Khan will give call to people on every Sunday to come out against the foreign conspiracy,” he said.

Senator Aijaz Chaudhry said that Imran Khan has resigned from his National Assembly seat and those who are with him will resign from the assembly. “Only those who are not with Imran Khan will not resign,” he said and further shared, “There is also a suggestion to hold long march after Eid.”

PTI MNA Murad Saeed was the first PTI MNA who submitted his resignation to the Speaker National Assembly.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan also met Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri and issued directives to him regarding National Assembly session today. “Imran Khan also apprised Qasim Suri regarding resignations submitted by the party MNAs,” the sources having knowledge of the details of the meeting said.