Hamza Shahbaz elected new CM of Pakistan's Punjab
Apr 16, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], April 17 : Pakistan Muslim League -(N) leader Hamza Shahbaz has been elected as the chief minister of Punjab in Pakistan amid ruckus during the Assembly session.
Ahead of the vote, three Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members of the Punjab Assembly were arrested for attacking Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari as the party boycotted the session to elect the new chief minister, The News International reported on Saturday.
Hamza Shahbaz, son of Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif, was elected as the new chief minister with 197 votes. While his rival Pervaiz Elahi did not receive any votes as his party and PTI had boycotted the polls.
He is the third member of his family to be elected as chief minister of Punjab. Earlier, his father Shehbaz Sharif, who is now the prime minister, and his uncle former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also held the post.
Chaos ensued in Pakistan's Punjab Assembly after the PTI lawmakers threw "lotas (round vessel)" at Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari as he arrived to chair the session for the election of the Chief Minister.
The lawmakers of the ruling party also threw "lotas" at Mazari and then attacked him despite the presence of security guards. Mazari was also slapped by PTI members, following which, he was escorted by Sergeant-At-Arms, reported Samaa TV.
Notably, Punjab Chief Minister's office has been vacant for nearly two weeks since former Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, who was removed from his position last week, accepted Usman Buzdar's resignation on April 1.
Today's session for the Chief Minister's election is being held in line with the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC), wherein it rejected PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz's plea to hold the early elections and restored the powers of the Deputy Speaker, according to Geo News.
After much wait and delay due to a ruckus, the session finally started, with Deputy Speaker Mazari in the chair once the assembly's order was restored.
The session was scheduled to start at 11:30 am. However, it was delayed as government lawmakers -- PTI and PML-Q -- resorted to violence, as per The News International.
