LAHORE -UNS: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday became the chief minister of Punjab after the assembly session began on a sour note.
Maryam Nawaz is the first woman to have been elected chief minister of any province in the country. She got 220 votes against rival Rana Aftab who was among those who walked out of the assembly.
Earlier, the Punjab Assembly session to elect the chief minister began amid ruckus as members of the opposition Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) boycotted the proceedings right from the word go.
No sooner had Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan explained the procedure for the election of the chief minister than the members of the SIC stood up and heckled him by raising slogans. The SIC members later walked out of the assembly to register their protest over what they said “stolen mandate”.
Maryam Nawaz – a strong candidate
Earlier, PML-N nominee Maryam Nawaz, who enjoys support of majority in the House, reached the premises and was warmly greeted by the party leaders.
Maryam, who is the Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president, became a member of the provincial assembly by winning the Feb 8 general elections from constituency 159 Lahore-XV.
She is the daughter of three-time prime minster and chief minister Nawaz Sharif. She entered politics in November 2011 when her father granted her permission after she expressed her intention to do so.
In 2012, Maryam collaborated with the PML-N leaders to prepare the Punjab Women Empowerment Package, initiated by her uncle Shehbaz Sharif, then chief minister of Punjab. She played an active role in the implementation of the women-only Pink Bus scheme in Punjab the same year.
Vote procedure
The speaker explained the procedure of voting and called the assembly secretary to brief the house.
In the meanwhile, the opposition SIC members raised the objection that the house was incomplete as women’s reserved seats and minority members have not been named yet. At that moment, Rana Aftab stood up and sought the speaker’s permission to speak on a point of order but was disallowed. On it, the SIC walked out in protest.
Speaker Khan formed a committee to negotiate with the protesters who briefly returned to the assembly but again moved out. The speaker then decided to proceed without the opposition.
Earlier Report
In Punjab, Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz and Sunni Ittehad Council’s Rana Aftab Khan will fight for the coveted office.
Maryam, the daughter of three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, will likely create history as the first woman chief minister of Punjab.
The SIC had nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal, an MPA-elect from Lahore, for the office but later replaced him with Rana Aftab from Faisalabad, a former member of the PPP.
The SIC had to replace Aslam Iqbal as he did not come to the House to take oath as an MPA, fearing his arrest by the Punjab police.
The nomination papers of Maryam and Rana Aftab for the post of Punjab chief minister have been accepted.
Meanwhile, the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-elected Punjab chief minister will be held at 2pm at the Governor’s House.
The invitations have been distributed to the provincial assembly members. The MPAs have been instructed not to bring guests along with them.
