Malik Ahmed Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has been elected as the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly.
The assembly session, presided over by Speaker Sabtain Khan, commenced with a delay of one and a half hours. Tensions rose in the assembly hall as Maryam Nawaz, the PML-N’s nominee for Punjab Chief Minister, made her entrance, leading to verbal clashes between members of the Sunni Ittehad Council and PML-N representatives.
Four newly elected members of the assembly, including Hafiz Farhat of the Sunni Ittehad Council, took their oaths during the proceedings, adding to the dynamic atmosphere of the assembly session.
Following the evening break for Maghrib prayers, the session resumed, and the process of electing the new Speaker commenced. The contest for the Speaker’s position was between PML-N’s Malik Ahmed Khan and the Sunni Ittehad Council’s Ahmed Khan Bhatti. Three polling booths were set up for the Speaker’s election in the Punjab Assembly.
Malik Ahmed Khan secured victory in the Speaker’s election with 224 votes, while Ahmed Khan Bhatti of the Sunni Ittehad Council received 96 votes. Out of 322 total votes cast, two were rejected.
Celebrations erupted among PML-N members upon Malik Ahmed Khan’s victory, with chants of “Sher Sher” (lion, lion) and “Maryam Maryam” reverberating in the assembly hall.
After taking the oath of office, Malik Ahmed Khan pledged to fulfill his duties as Speaker, while Sabtain Khan relinquished his responsibilities.
With the Speaker’s election concluded, the assembly will proceed with other formalities and soon conduct the election for the Deputy Speaker. The Deputy Speaker election will see PML-N’s Zahid Iqbal Chaudhry competing against Riaz Qureshi of the Sunni Ittehad Council.
Ahmed Khan Bhatti of the Sunni Ittehad Council expressed concerns over the restriction of assembly members’ access, alleging that some members were being prevented from attending the assembly session, including Mian Aslam Iqbal, who is reportedly being held at a secure location.
