Pakistan

Opposition to hold symbolic Punjab Assembly session at Lahore hotel

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

LAHORE: The Opposition on Wednesday decided to hold a symbolic Punjab Assembly session at a local hotel in Lahore after the PTI-led government sealed off the provincial assembly.

PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz have reached the hotel, while PML-N members and members of the PTI’s Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan are already present there.

PML-N leader and MPA Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan has claimed that more than 200 MPAs are present in the session.

The Tareen and Aleem groups have parted ways with the PTI and Prime Minister Imran Khan and decided to support the Opposition’s candidate for the chief minister’s office.

The chief minister’s office had fallen vacant after PTI’s Usman Buzdar resigned following Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to nominate PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi as the new CM.

Hours before this, the PML-N leader had said that she would attend the “Punjab Assembly ijlaas” to support Hamza — “who clearly has the majority” in the provincial assembly.

To stand with Hamza who clearly has the majority, I will be going to Punjab Assembly ijlaas at 7 Insha’Allah.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) April 6, 2022

The Opposition parties are holding a symbolic session of the Punjab Assembly — like the one held in the National Assembly after the no-confidence motion was dismissed by Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri — where they will elect Hamza as the new chief minister.\

Meanwhile, the crisis in the Punjab Assembly deepened after the PTI filed a no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari and the joint Opposition also decided to file a similar motion against Speaker Pervaiz Elahi.

The political situation took a new turn after Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari decided to summon a session today, instead of April 16 — a decision that drew the PTI and PML-Q’s ire, and they refused to accept it.

On the instructions of Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, a heavy contingent of police has been deployed outside the assembly secretariat to avoid any untoward situation.

Elahi also banned the entry of media persons to the provincial assembly, security staff confirmed.

The security of the provincial legislature has also put up barbed wires on the main gate of the assembly.

Speaking to Geo News earlier today, Mazari had said that the Punjab Assembly secretariat was “not cooperating” with him.

“I did not consult the Punjab government, the PTI or the speaker. I summoned the Assembly session in light of the Supreme Court’s orders,” Mazari had said.

The speaker, Elahi, has also withdrawn the powers of the deputy speaker.

Number game in Punjab

Both candidates — Hamza and Elahi — need at least 186 votes in the House of 371 to win the poll for the slot of CM Punjab.

With the house comprising 371 MPAs, the PML-N seems highly optimistic about regaining the crown of Punjab that it lost in 2018.

The Opposition claims that its joint strength comprising its own 160 MPAs (PML-N total strength is 165 out of which five MPAs are siding with the government), seven MPAs of PPP, and the rest from the rebel groups of PTI headed by Tareen and Aleem and four out of five independents, stands above 188.

On the other hand, the ruling coalition’s candidate has also used his experience and influence in winning the support of the JKT group’s MPAs. MPA Rafaqat Gilani, a part of the JKT group, has publicly claimed that he was “siding with Imran and cannot leave him at a crucial time”.

Latest News

Saad Rafiq: Ali Amin Gandapur’s threat to storm Islamabad is a major issue.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has threatened to storm Islamabad, according to Khawaja Saad Rafique, a former minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). This is a very serious situation.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration has reportedly launched attacks on the federal capital in the past in an attempt to seize Islamabad, according to Saad Rafiq on the social media platform X (previously Twitter).

“However, PTI got nothing and it resulted in creating chaos, hatred and economic destruction,” he continued.

He added, “If the anarchists attack Islamabad to occupy it this time too, it will become impossible for them to return as rulers.”

According to the leader of the PML-N, fascist behavior will no longer be accepted, and the dirty politics of violence, fire, and ransacking will no longer be effective.

The PTI, he said, has to act rationally and refrain from inciting another May 9.

Latest News

IHC will consider a case today challenging the election of the Senate chairman and deputy

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

Today is the scheduled hearing for the suit seeking action against the chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate election violations before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The case against the violation of the custodians of the Senate election will be heard by Justice Aamer Farooq of IHC.

The April 9th Senate election, which was held in violation of Article 60 of the Constitution, was highlighted in the petition.

According to the plea, it was alarming that the poll Commission had decided to postpone the Senate poll till after the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.

On the grounds of constitutional violations, a petition was filed to declare the April 9 Senate election, which included the chairman and deputy chairman, illegal.

Relevantly, Ishba Kamran, a resident of Sargodha, has also filed a motion in court to initiate Article 6 proceedings.

Latest News

The first Air Ambulance Service training session in Pakistan begins.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The first training session for the Air Ambulance Service of Pakistan has commenced.

A unique meeting was conducted to assess the service’s advancement, overseen by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Aside from the Punjab chief secretary, secretary of finance, and director general of rescue services, other officials in attendance included provincial information minister Azma Bukhari.

The announcement that the first Air Ambulance Service training session had begun was made at the briefing.

CM Maryam Nawaz announced her resolve to grow the service’s operations while highlighting the initiative’s importance.

Her commitment to utilizing all provincial resources for the welfare and improvement of the public was reaffirmed as she emphasized its vital role in responding to crises and accidents in remote places.

The air ambulance service will be deployed in emergency situations and made available to other provinces as needed, she said, emphasizing the importance of protecting human life.