In a setback to Pakistan’s ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shahbaz was on Friday declared the winner in the Punjab province’s chief ministerial election, though his PML-N party did not have a majority. Assembly after major by-elections this week.
Hamza Shahbaz managed to retain the post of Chief Minister of Punjab province by the narrowest margin after deputy speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari rejected 10 crucial votes of his rival candidate Chaudhry Pervez Elahi’s party PML-Q on ‘technical grounds’.
Deputy Speaker Mazari, who presided over the crucial session that began on Friday after a three-hour delay, rejected 10 votes citing Article 63-A of the constitution of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), an ally of the deposed prime minister. Gave. Khan, and Hamza was declared victorious.
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In the 368-member Punjab Assembly, Hamza’s party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) got 179 votes, while Elahi’s party got 176 votes, but after Elahi’s own party 10 votes were not counted, the party chief After Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain issued a letter.
“I give the verdict to reject 10 votes of PML-Q because its chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has written me a letter declaring that his party MPs should not vote for PTI-PMLQ candidate. I spoke to Shujaat over phone and he confirmed that it was his letter.
PTI-PMLQ MPs opposed the deputy speaker’s decision.
Following Mazari’s decision to defy 10 votes of PML-Q members – a move that allowed Hamza to retain his position as Punjab chief minister – PTI said it would approach the Supreme Court to challenge the decision. will knock on the door.
Elahi said he would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court as the deputy speaker had violated the court’s order.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party president Khan had warned that if the state machinery was used to steal the public mandate, it would lead the country to a Sri Lanka-like situation.
“If the government machinery is used to steal the mandate of the people, then the reaction of the people will lead Pakistan to a situation like Sri Lanka? I will not be able to control people in such a scenario,” Khan said.
Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif, said what her party did on Friday was a tit-for-tat reply to Khan’s party.
In a tweet, Nawaz said, “PML-N has not forgotten the treatment they were treated. Now the rules of the game will be same for everyone else PML-N knows how to play it better.”
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