Punjab Assembly session to elect CM underway

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly session presided by Speaker Rana Muhammed Iqbal is underway to elect the leader of the house (chief minister), Geo News reported.

There is a contest between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahbaz Sharif and Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, a joint candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the PML-Q while the PPP-P and the JI have not fielded its candidate for the slot of chief minister Punjab.

Shahbaz Sharif is certain to win the slot of Punjab chief minister for a record third time as his PML-N enjoys majority in the Punjab Assembly.

A total strength of the Punjab Assembly members is 371 of which 358 are notified. According to the current strength of assembly members, PML-N enjoys support of 305 members while the PTI had 26 members, the PML-Q nine, PML-Z two while the JUI-F, JI and BNAP have one each.

Meanwhile, scrutiny of nomination papers of the contesting candidates continued on on Wednesday and papers of both the candidates were cleared by the assembly secretariat.

Chief Minister would be elected through division of votes in the provincial legislature. Shahbaz Sharif would take the oath of his office at the Governor’s House.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would also attend the ceremony.