PML-N and Allies Claim Majority Support for Prime Ministerial Candidate.
National Assembly to Elect New Prime Minister Tomorrow. The National Assembly of Pakistan is gearing up for a significant political event as it prepares to elect the country’s new prime minister for a five-year term on March 3, as per the schedule issued by the National Assembly secretariat. The nomination papers for the prime minister’s election are set to be received today (Saturday), with the polling scheduled to take place on Sunday at the Parliament House in Islamabad.
In this crucial electoral process, Shehbaz Sharif, the former prime minister and head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has been named as the coalition’s candidate for the coveted post, aiming for a second term in office. Meanwhile, the PTI-SIC coalition has nominated Omar Ayub Khan as its candidate for the prime ministerial position.
With a candidate requiring 169 votes in the 336-member parliament to be elected as the premier, political maneuvering and alliances are in full swing. The PML-N and its allies, including the Pakistan People’s Party, assert having the support of over 200 lawmakers.
Yesterday’s session saw Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq being elected as the 22nd speaker of the National Assembly. The session, chaired by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, witnessed voting through a secret ballot, with Ayaz Sadiq securing 199 votes against Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Aamir Dogar’s 91 votes. Following the official announcement by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was administered the oath as the new speaker of the NA.
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After assuming office, the new speaker took charge of the house, while Raja Pervaiz Ashraf gracefully stepped down from his position. The new speaker is now poised to oversee the election of the deputy speaker, marking another step in Pakistan’s democratic process.
