LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz has been elected as new chief minister of Punjab with 197 votes on Saturday after police managed to take control of the house amid scuffle between treasury and opposition benches.
His opponent Pakistan Muslim League-Q’s Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi could only manage to bag one vote.
Victory speech
Taking the floor after winning the election, CM-elect Hamza accused the previous provincial government led by PTI of bad governance and corruption. He said his predecessor did not build any mega development project during its nearly four years in power.
The CM-elect said the PTI regime hatched conspiracy against the province by appointing an “incompetent chief minister” to run the country’s largest province.
He also vowed to restore the local bodies system in the province, saying that devolution of power is necessary for the development of the province.
Referring to today’s violence in the provincial assembly, Hamza lashed out at the PTI and PML-Q for “violating” the Constitution and attacking the deputy speaker.
“We will not take revenge from anyone and only work for the betterment of the people.”
He also appreciated the police for bringing the situation under the control and Deputy Speaker Mazari for fulfilling his constitutional duties.
Responding to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s allegations of US-backed regime change conspiracy, CM-elect Hamza questioned “was it also a part of conspiracy to hide details of gifts received by foreign governments”.
“You [Imran Khan] have been caught red-handed in the foreign funding case,” he added.
He said his government will not indulge in political victimisation but those who plundered the nation’s wealth will be held accountable and law will take its own course.
Earlier, the Punjab police had to intervene to take control of the house hours after lawmakers belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and PML-Q roughed up the acting speaker, Dost Muhammad Mazari, forcing him to retire to his chambers.
The government lawmakers, who resorted to violence, had warned that they would not allow Mazari to chair the session for the election of the chief minister of Punjab.
The PML-Q had also formulated a strategy to force stop the proceedings of the assembly, resulting in the intervention of the police to smoothen the process.
As the police tried to enter the assembly hall, lawmakers scuffled with the law enforcers and managed to push the police officials out of the hall. However, in their second attempt, after facing considerable resistance, a large contingent of the police managed to enter the assembly and take control of the situation.
As police retained control of the house, they escorted PA Speaker Pervaiz Elahi out of the assembly hall. The PTI and PML-Q, however, resisted the police as they tried to stop them from forcibly removing Elahi from the assembly hall.
A scuffle also broke out between the PML-N and treasury MPAs as the former supported the police’s move to remove Elahi from the house while the latter intervened to stop it.
Earlier in the day, PTI and PML-Q lawmakers attacked Punjab Assembly acting speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari as he arrived in the house to preside over the PA session being held to elect the chief minister.
The PTI lawmakers carrying lotas (round water containers) roughed up Mazari before the security staff of the assembly escorted him back to his chamber in protective custody.
Mazari was reported to have received minor injuries as a result of the PTI MPAs’ assault.
The PTI lawmakers warned that they would not let Mazari chair the PA session and would resort to strong protests if the deputy speaker tried to preside over the session.
Elahi blames police
After the scuffle that left the acting speaker reportedly injured, Elahi met members of local and international media at his chamber in the Punjab Assembly to clear his stance on the issue.
He blamed the scuffle on the police force accompanying Mazari for creating a ruckus in the house by allegedly assaulting the members of the government. The women lawmakers went to the dais of Mazari to “convince” him but they were assaulted by the police force deployed with the acting speaker, Elahi claimed.
Elahi also claimed that he was injured in an alleged attack on him by PML-N lawmakers.
He further said the PML-Q and PTI did not accept Mazari as the acting speaker despite the court orders. The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to appoint Mazari as the acting speaker “usurped my powers”, the PA speaker said as he expressed reservations over the decision.
Elahi said the house will also bring a privilege motion — that carries a maximum sentence of three months — against the Punjab Police chief over the alleged assault on the women MPAs by the police officials.
Mazari vows transparency
Hours ahead of the election for the Punjab chief minister post, Mazari had assured that the election for the CM post will be held at all costs and no one would be allowed to derail the voting.
“I am a man who does not take the pressure,” said Mazari, adding, “The election will be held today and the meaning of today is today.”
In a response to comments made by PML-Q’s Pervaiz Elahi, the acting speaker said he did not want to go into the details but he had taken an oath to ensure a fair election and he would stand by it.
“Those who wanted to disturb the process will not be allowed to derail the process at any cost,” Mazari added. “If I am biased then why did I invite the media and international observers to monitor the voting for the CM election,” Mazari asked.
Earlier, Elahi, who is contesting the CM election against PML-N’s Hamza Shehbaz, expressed apprehensions over the fairness of the CM election. “The circumstances surrounding the election do not look good,” said Elahi, adding that the day will prove how unfair Mazari would turn out to be.
Meanwhile, ex-chief minister Usman Buzdar said the PTI will win the election for the CMship.
‘Remove jammers’
In a statement, PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the jammers have been installed in the press gallery of the Punjab Assembly to stop the media from reporting on the CM election.
She demanded immediate removal of these jammers, saying such petty tricks should be put an end to. Marriyum said the purpose of putting up these jammers was to conceal “whatever they intended to do” in the Punjab Assembly.
She said during the previous session to elect the CM, the media was barred from the assembly and this time as well, the jammers were being installed to prevent media from reporting on the election.
The PML-N leader said just like the PTI government was sent packing from the National Assembly, the Punjab government will be sent home as well.
MPAs arrive at PA
The lawmakers belonging to the PML-N and the dissident MPAs of the PTI have arrived at the Punjab Assembly in buses led by PML-N Punjab President Hamza Shehbaz. PML-N leader Ata Tarrar claimed that the PML-N had the support of 198 lawmakers, including Kh Salman Rafique whose production order is yet to be issued.
It seems the session will not be a quiet one as some PTI lawmakers arriving at the PA to attend the session to elect the CM could be seen holding placards as well.
CM election
The Punjab Assembly is all set to conduct the provincial chief minister’s election today after the Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed an intra-court appeal of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, seeking a member of the panel of chairpersons to preside over the election instead of Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari.
A division bench, headed by Justice Shujaat Ali Khan and comprising Justice Jawad Hassan, upheld LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti’s order allowing Mazari to conduct the election for the chief minister scheduled today.
It was the second time that Punjab Assembly Speaker Elahi and the assembly secretariat lost a legal battle against Deputy Speaker Mazari.
Earlier, Chief Justice Bhatti had ordered Mazari to preside over the session for the CM’s election under sub-article (3) of Article 130 of the Constitution. The order was passed on Mazari’s petition against Speaker Elahi, who according to him, had withdrawn his powers as an acting speaker.
As CJ Bhatti’s order came, Speaker Elahi and the assembly secretariat challenged the decision. This time, the LHC division bench heard the matter in detail.
