Newly-elected members take oath in Punjab Assembly

LAHORE (92 News) – The newly elected members of provincial assembly (MPAs) took the oath of their offices in the inaugural session of the Punjab Assembly on Wednesday. The ceremony was administered by outgoing Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) attended the session of assembly wearing black bands in their arms. The elections of the speaker and the deputy speaker will be held tomorrow at 10am in the session of Punjab Assembly after which the new chief minister will be elected through secret balloting. The entry of former Punjab chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi has been come again in the Punjab Assembly after 14 years. Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar was not present during the inaugural session. The resolution to make a separate South Punjab province was presented in the first session of Punjab Assembly. The PML-N has nominated Hamza Shehbaz for the slot of Punjab chief minister. Its rival, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has yet to name its candidate for the position. The PML-N has also nominated Chaudhry Iqbal Gujjar as Punjab Assembly’s speaker candidate. In the 371-member Punjab Assembly, the PTI is leading with 179 seats followed by the PML-N with 164 seats, the PML-Q with 10 seats and the PPP with seven seats. There are four independent candidates in the provincial legislature. At least 186 votes are required to win the chief minister, speaker and deputy speaker slots.