PTI's Sibtan Khan elected Punjab Assembly Speaker

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Sibtan Khan has been elected as the new speaker of the Punjab Assembly, ARY News reported on Friday.

According to details, Sibtain Khan won the election after securing 185 votes while Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Saif ul Malook Khokhar obtained 175 votes. He was later sworn in as the speaker.

Four votes were rejected out of the 364 votes cast during the session, which was chaired by Panel of Chairman Wasim Badozai. The rejected votes included three of the Opposition and one of the PTI.

The voting was temporarily halted after the opposition benches alleged foul play. PML-N’s candidate Saiful Malook Khokhar raised objections over the serial numbers on the ballot papers and reportedly threw them away.

However, polling resumed later, following which former chief minister Hamza Shehbaz cast his vote.

Sibtain, after taking charge of the speaker’s post, thanked the Assembly for entrusting him. “Some time ago, the police came to the house, the house was disrespected. I will try to prevent such incidents from happening again,” he said.

Earlier, the polling for the speaker’s election began at 6:30pm in the Punjab Assembly and Iftikhar Gilani from PP-254 was the first lawmaker who cast the vote.

The panel of chairman called the name of the independent MPA, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, twice, however, he did not cast his vote.

READ: CONSULTATION FOR MEMBERS IN CM PUNJAB’S CABINET BEGINS

From PML-N, Khalid Tahir Sindhu and Ali Haider Gillani were performing duties as the opposition’s polling agents, whereas, Mian Aslam Iqbal and Dr Murad Raas were the polling agents from the PTI.

The Punjab Assembly speaker’s seat fell vacant after the former office bearer Pervaiz Elahi was elected as the chief minister of Punjab on July 26.

Meanwhile, no-confidence against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari was also moved on Thursday and voting in this regard was also expected today.

The Punjab Assembly (PA) passed a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari.

READ: PUNJAB ASSEMBLY PASSES NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION AGAINST DOST MAZARI

Parliamentary Leader in the Provincial Assembly Raja Bisharat submitted no-confidence motion against Dost Muhammad Mazari, which was passed by the house’s majority.

Earlier, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court had declared Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s ruling in the Punjab Chief Minister election “illegal” and ruled that Pervez Elahi will be the new CM of the province.

The apex court ordered the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman to administer the oath to Elahi at 11:30pm. The SC also nullified all appointments made by ‘trustee CM’ Hamza Shahbaz.