A candidate must receive 169 votes in the 336-member parliament to be elected premier…reports Asian Lite News
Shehbaz Sharif, the joint candidate of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), and Omar Ayub, the nominee of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Sunni Ittehad Council, have both filed nomination papers for the position of Prime Minister of the country, reported ARY News on Saturday.
The nomination papers were received by the Secretary of the National Assembly. A candidate must receive 169 votes in the 336-member parliament to be elected premier.
According to ARY News, PML-N and its allies, including the Pakistan People’s Party, claim to have enjoyed the support of over 200 lawmakers.
Whereas, independent candidates backed by Imran Khan’s PTI won the most MPs with 93 in the February 8 elections.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected as the 22nd speaker of the National Assembly (NA) on Friday.
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf presided the National Assembly (NA) session to elect a new NA speaker. The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) protested throughout the session, reported ARY News.
The speaker’s election was conducted via a secret ballot. The lawmakers voted one by one.
PML-N candidate Ayaz Sadiq received 199 votes, while Aamir Dogar from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) received 91 votes. Following Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s formal pronouncement, Sardare Ayaz Sadiq was sworn in as the next speaker of the NA.
PPP’s Bugti elected as Baloch CM
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate Sarfraz Bugti was elected as Balochistan Chief Minister on Saturday, bagging 41 votes in his favour, reported The News International.
The Balochistan Assembly elected Bugti, with 41 votes in his favour, while four lawmakers skipped the voting.
PPP candidate Bugti is now set to take the oath today at the Governor’s House at the swearing in ceremony.
Balochistan Governor Abdul Wali Kakar will administer the oath to the newly-elected chief minister, according to The News International.
He submitted his nomination papers before the deadline’s end on Friday after his party’s chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, named him as their CM nominee.
Moreover, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have also supported him, including Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri and Sardar Sarfaraz Chakar Domki.
Reportedly, Bugti resigned as the caretaker interior minister in December last year and joined the Bilawal-led party.
He has also pledged to take all parties on board for development and prosperity in Balochistan and launched efforts to improve governance to resolve other issues, The News International reported.
After submitting his nomination papers on Friday, he said that the PPP believes in dialogue and has always resolved issues through negotiations.
He further urged the dissatisfied people to join the mainstream and play their role in the country’s development.
The newly elected Chief Minister emphasised the need for talks with the opposition parties for the development of Balochistan.
He said positive criticism would be welcomed and urged that destructive politics be avoided in the broader interest of the country, as reported by The News International.
He added that a consensus would be developed with the opposition to bring Balochistan forward and his door would always be open for talks.
He said a roadmap would be shared for sustainable development and resolving the common challenges of the province, but added that he had no idea of the two-and-a-half-year government formula.
Moreover, Bugti thanked the PPP chairman and co-chairman for nominating him for the chief minister’s position. (ANI)
