Daily Times

Following the National Assembly dissolution, the Punjab Assembly session summoned on Sunday to elect a new chief was also deferred till April 6.

The provincial assembly was convened to choose a new leader of the house after former chief minister Usman Buzdar resigned and Prime Minister Imran Khan offered the seat to PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

The opposition nominated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz.

Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari adjourned the proceedings till April 6 after the National Assembly rejected the no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan. A scuffle broke out in the provincial assembly as both the treasury and opposition lawmakers accused each other of creating a ruckus.

Members from the PML-N said that PTI lawmakers attacked them, while PTI MPAs claimed that PML-N members had attacked them, says a news report.

Women PTI MPAs went up to dissident PTI women, including Uzma Kardar and Ayesha Chaudhry – who were supposedly going to vote in favour of Hamza Shahbaz – and allegedly began hurling abuses at them. A PML-N worker was slightly injured by another MPA.

The altercation continued and soon after the session was dismissed. PML-N lawmakers termed the PTI’s conduct a preplanned ‘conspiracy’.

On the other hand, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, while talking to the media claimed that it was PML-N’s female lawmakers who attacked PTI’s women.

He further stated that the PTI lawmakers had asked the PML-N members to return to their seats only for the PML-N women to start yelling and restraining the PTI’s women members from moving toward the treasury benches once the house was ready to proceed.

Later, in conversation with media personnel Elahi said that he had adequate support for winning the chief minister election in the provincial assembly and the results would reflect that on April 6.

Former PTI minister Chaudhry Zaheerud Din said that the PML-N members ‘fled from the voting’, whereas PML-N’s Azma Zahid Bukhari said that the party’s strength proved that Hamza Shahbaz Sharif would become the Punjab chief minister.

Azma questioned why the session was adjourned if PTI believed they had majority in the provincial assembly.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid member Moonis Elahi said that the PML-N lost the election and that the house was adjourned because PML-N members were “out of control” and that their MPAs had manhandled other MPAs.

On the other hand, PML-N member Atta Tarar said that there was no need to adjourn the voting after the former chief minister had resigned, the schedule of the election was fixed and nomination papers had been submitted.

“The government’s actions are unconstitutional which is why we are going to the Supreme Court to get justice,” he stated.

When asked why the opposition was going to the apex court instead of another forum, Tarar said that the Supreme Court had already taken up the matter which is why they were going to that forum.

Members of the Punjab Assembly arrived ahead of the crucial provincial assembly session called to elect the new chief of the province.

Speaking to the media outside the assembly, PML-N member Hamza Shahbaz in response to a question about the government tendering mass resignations, stated that only one resignation would come forth and that would be the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“He [Imran] wants to cry fake tears now after ruining the public with inflation. Look at the tears of blood in the eyes of the nation,” Hamza said.

On the other hand, the government’s nomination for the slot of Punjab chief minister, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said he was hopeful of his victory.

Commenting on Chaudhry Sarwar’s removal as governor Punjab by the incumbent government, Elahi said that he was unaware of the decision, adding that the result would regardless be in front of everyone soon.