Voting for new CM Punjab tomorrow

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly will meet again on Sunday to elect a new leader of the house after the resignation of Sardar Usman Buzdar following the PTI's deal with PML-Q.

As per the details, the PA speaker Pervaiz Elahi set April 3 as the date for elections for the chief minister. He maintained that the nomination papers for the coveted slot can be obtained from the provincial assembly secretariat till 5 pm today (Saturday).

Earlier in the day, the crucial session of the PA finally started after a delay of almost four hours to elect the new chief minister.

The governor had summoned the session of the assembly to elect a new chief minister.

As per the details, the aspirant candidates for the chief minister slot will submit their nomination papers to the provincial assembly secretariat today. 

Speaking to Geo News earlier today, Secretary Assembly Muhammad Khan Bhatti said that only a schedule will be issued today for the election of the chief minister and it is up to the speaker to decide about the day of voting.

The speaker has the authority in this regard and will make the final call in this regard whether the voting will be held tomorrow or on Monday, Bhatti said.

Hours before the start of the PA session, senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar announced that the Jahangir Khan Tareen group will support the joint Opposition’s candidate, PML-N leader Hamza Shahbaz for Punjab’s chief minister slot.

The development came after a meeting between former finance minister Ishaq Dar and PTI's ex-secretary general Jahangir Tareen at a hotel in London.

Sources said that the two sides discussed the upcoming no-confidence vote on Sunday and the election of the chief minister of Punjab.

Two days earlier, it was also reported that Dar and Tareen spoke over the phone. The telephonic conversation was confirmed by sources close to Dar and Tareen. People, with knowledge of the meeting, said that the two leaders discussed possible ways of cooperation in Punjab and the Centre.

PML-N leader Ishaq Dar took to Twitter today to share the big political development and thanked Tareen for announcing his support for Hamza Shahbaz.

“Had a fruitful final round of discussion with Mr Jehangir Khan Tareen. Mutually concluded that #JKT_Group will support joint Opposition's candidate, Mr Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, for the slot of Chief Minister, Punjab. Deeply appreciate the support of #JKT and #JKT_Group,” Ishaq Dar Tweeted.

Meanwhile, Tareen group spokesperson Aun Chaudhry has claimed that their 16 MPs will support the joint opposition's candidate.

Sources said that Hamza Shahbaz will meet with the PTI's disgruntled lawmakers today and give them all necessary assurances.

Moonis Elahi fails to garner support of Tareen group

Meanwhile, all the efforts of PML-Q leader and federal minister Moonis Elahi went in vain to cajole the Jahangir Tareen group in a bid to garner support for Pervaiz Elahi as CM Punjab.

Moonis Elahi had a four-hour long meeting with the disgruntled JKT group, however, the meeting did not end up with a positive result.

Upon asking about the meeting result, Moonis Elahi tried to put off journalists by saying, “all is well.”

However, PTI MPA Nauman Langrial said they had been in contact with Jahangir Tareen and the next round of meetings would be held today.

To foil the Opposition’s no-trust motion and to woo allies, PM Imran Khan had asked Usman Buzdar to resign from the post of CM Punjab. The PM also nominated Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the new chief minister of Punjab.