LAHORE: PTI’s MPA Sibtain Khan on Friday got elected as the new speaker of the Punjab Assembly .
He was fielded as a joint candidate by PTI and the PML-Q against the PML-N’s Malik Saif ul Malook Khokhar by the Opposition.
Sibtain secured the speaker’s seat after obtaining 185 votes against the 175 votes cast in favour of PML-N's Saif ul Malook Khokhar, who was the Opposition's joint candidate.
During the session presided over by PTI MPA Waseem Khan Badozai, a total of 364 votes were cast out of which four were rejected, which included three votes of the Opposition and one of the PTI.
Following the PTI MNA’s victory, the panel chairman Badozai administered the oath to the speaker.
After taking charge of the speaker's post, Khan thanked the Assembly for entrusting him with the respect of the House.
“Some time ago, the police came to the house, the house was disrespected. I will try to prevent such incidents from happening again,” he said before postponing the session for 30 minutes.
Earlier, Sibtain shared his hopes of winning the election "effortlessly".
Prior to the elections, the nomination papers of both the candidates were scrutinised and approved by the newly-appointed assembly secretary Inayatullah Lak.
PTI’s MPA Waseem Khan Badozai presided over the session. Prior to the commencement of the voting process, PML-N’s Khalil Tahir Sandhu tried to raise a point of objection related to the position of the polling booth, saying that cameras were installed above it. Following his objection, the location of the polling booth was changed.
Shortly before the session began, PML-N’s candidate Khokhar, while speaking to the press outside the assembly, said: "Today’s win will be that of the Pakistan Democratic Movement and [one of its] workers,” he claimed, adding that the PTI will find out today "who is the thief and who is better".
Voting for the no-trust motion, moved on Thursday, against Punjab Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari is also expected to take place today.
"Yesterday, there were deaths on both sides; constitutional bench should take suo motu notice ," says KP AAG
"There is no deal, no concession. We saw cowardice here," says federal information minsiter
Punjab capital ranks second globally for worst air quality, with AQI reading of 299
Sources say KP CM, former first lady spent night at Circuit House in Mansehra along with Omar Ayub
PTI says it would announce future course of action in light of guidance from party founder Imran Khan
"We will not back down until our demands are met,” says jailed PTI founder amid ongoing protest
