A crucial session of the Punjab Assembly has been called hurriedly today to elect the new chief minister of the province.
On Sunday, the Punjab Assembly session had been adjourned until April 6, however, on April 5 advocate general Punjab also assured the Supreme Court that the provincial assembly would conduct a session on April 6 as per the constitution.
Subsequently hours after the advocate general Punjab’s assurance, the provincial assembly session was postponed further till April 16.
The notification for holding the session on April 16 was also issued after Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari approved the order.
In a surprise move, in the wee hours of Wednesday, the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari called a provincial assembly session to elect a new chief minister of the province.
A notification has also been issued in this regard, which stated that the “40th session of Punjab Assembly will now be held on Wednesday at 7:30 PM for the election of chief minister of Punjab.”
The political temperature and uncertainty in the country already continue to rise as President dissolved the National Assembly on the PM’s advice, however, both government and opposition are busy in political manoeuvrings for the CM’s slot.
Following Pervaiz Elahi’s announcement to support the government in the no-trust motion, the PM had asked Usman Buzdar to step down and nominated PML-Q’s Elahi for the CM’s post.
On the other hand, joint opposition including disgruntled PTI leader Aleem Khan and Jahangir Tareen announced full support for PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz.
Number game in Punjab
Both candidates need at least 186 votes in the House of 371 to win the poll for the slot of CM Punjab.
With the house comprising 371 MPAs, the PML-N seems highly optimistic about regaining the crown of Punjab that it lost in 2018.
The Opposition claims that its joint strength comprising its own 160 MPAs (PML-N total strength is 165 out of which five MPAs are siding with the government), seven MPAs of PPP, and the rest from the rebel groups of PTI headed by Jehangir Khan Tareen (JKT) and Abdul Aleem Khan and four out of five independents, stands above 188.
On the other hand, the ruling coalition’s candidate has also used his experience and influence in winning the support of JKT group MPAs, and publicly, MPA Rafaqat Gilani, a part of the JKT group has claimed that he was “siding with Imran and cannot leave him in crucial time.
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