Shehbaz set to become PM today

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of Imran Khan’s ouster through a no-confidence resolution on Saturday night, the National Assembly is all set to elect the 23rd prime minister of Pakistan on Monday (today).

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) President Shehbaz Sharif seems all set to be elected as the new prime minister when the lower house of the parliament goes for voting at 2pm. The session was earlier supposed to start at 11am. However, according to the new schedule, the election for the new PM will take place at 2pm on Monday.

The NA Secretariat Sunday announced to accept the nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif, candidate of the combined opposition, and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as the nominee of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Eleven nomination papers from the opposition parties were filed in the National Assembly Secretariat for Shehbaz Sharif with no covering candidates. Top PPP leaders, Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, signed a nomination paper as proposer and seconder, while Khursheed Shah and Naveed Qamar also signed the other nomination paper as proposer and seconder.

MQM parliamentarians, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Syed Aminul Haq, were proposer and seconder of Shehbaz Sharif in the third nomination paper. Similarly, Mohsin Dawar, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Azam Khan Hoti, Khwaja Asif, Maulana Asad Mahmood, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khalid Magsi were proposers, while Ali Wazir, Khwaja Saad Rafique, Nawab Shahzain Bugti, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Shahida Akhtar Ali, Agha Hasan Baloch, Maryam Aurangzeb and Muhammad Israr Tarin were seconders in eight other Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers.

Dr Babar Awan raised an objection to nomination papers of the combined opposition’s candidate saying that Shehbaz Sharif would be the first prime minister in the world who is on bail for 10 months in corruption cases.

The National Assembly secretary asked Babar Awan not to deliver political speeches and only hand over the charges in writing to him. Qureshi, however, told the official not to interrupt the arguments of his lawyers. “The government has started rigging before commencement of the voting process,” he said.

The National Assembly secretary, however, rejected all objections on Shehbaz Sharif’s nomination papers. PTI’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi and PMLN’s Ahsan Iqbal also exchanged harsh words during filing of papers. “You are no longer a foreign minister,” Ahsan was heard telling Qureshi, who responded aggressively saying, “You are not a candidate, please get out of the room”.

A delegation of the united opposition also reached the office of the acting National Assembly speaker where the nomination papers were being scrutinised. The raising of objection led to a heated exchange of words between both sides.

The PTI parliamentarians, Zain Qureshi, Ms Malaika Bokhari and Aamir Dogar submitted the nomination papers of Shah Mehmood Qureshi with the Secretary National Assembly. Aamir Dogar and Ali Muhammad Khan signed the nomination papers as seconder and proposer of the PTI candidate.

Shehbaz Sharif is expected to secure 176 votes of the combined opposition. His votes would touch the figure of 200 if dissident members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) decide to participate in the voting process in his favour.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly Secretariat issued the order of the day for April 11, according to which elections of the prime minister, under Article 91 of the Constitution, read with Rule 32 of Rules of Business and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, is the only item to be taken up by the House. The election of the prime minister will take place through division of vote in the House.