In a significant development within the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmed Khan, representing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has been elected as the new speaker, garnering 224 votes. His nearest competitor, Ahmad Khan Bhachar of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), received 96 votes from a total of 322 ballots, with two being invalidated.
The session, which was marred by delays due to protests both inside and outside the legislative body, eventually commenced an hour and a half later than scheduled. This session marked the second meeting of the newly-elected assembly, overseen by the outgoing Speaker, Sibtain Khan, and was characterized by vocal exchanges between members of the PML-N and SIC.
To ensure order during the session, a substantial police presence was deployed outside the assembly, accompanied by prison vans.
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Following the vote, Malik Ahmed Khan took the oath of office, administered by the outgoing speaker. This event came after six members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs), including representatives from the PML-Q and SIC, as well as independent candidates, were sworn in. These members had missed the inaugural session the previous day.
The election process was conducted under the secrecy of the ballot, as stipulated by the Rules of Procedure of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, 1997. Candidates for both the speaker and deputy speaker positions had previously submitted their nominations, with PML-N proposing Malik Ahmad Khan and Malik Zaheer Iqbal Channer for the respective roles.
During the session, SIC leader Sahibzada Hamid Raza criticized the proceedings as unconstitutional and illegal, due to the absence of SIC members from the reserved seats. He accused the assembly of engaging in revenge politics and vowed to obstruct the proceedings until their grievances were addressed. Rana Aftab echoed these sentiments, declaring the assembly incomplete and threatening legal action.
The assembly’s composition and the election’s legitimacy were further questioned due to the pending decision on 27 reserved seats for women and minorities by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
This session also marked the debut of Maryam Nawaz in parliamentary politics, with her party, PML-N, along with its allies, forming the majority in the assembly. This alliance positions PML-N to lead the provincial government under Maryam’s leadership, following significant party expansions through the inclusion of members from the PPP, PML-Q, and other parties.
