The Punjab Assembly (PA) faced chaotic scenes before the election of the new Chief Minister could formally begin. There are reports that members of the PA even attacked Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari.
The session was set to begin at 11:30 am, however, PTI members caused a ruckus in the house. They brought “lotas” and chanted slogans of “lota,lota” (turncoats) while lashing out at dissident PTI MPAs. Videos of the chaotic scenes are making the rounds on social media.
Furthermore, when Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari arrived to chair the session, PTI members began throwing “lotas” at him. As a result, guards stood in front of the Deputy Speaker to protect him from getting hit.
However, the MPs managed to break ranks and gathered around the Deputy Speaker Dost Mazari, attacking him. They slapped him and dragged him by his hair. As the situation turned violent, Punjab police officials in plain clothes entered the assembly to bring the situation under the control.
Read more: Qasim Suri retorts to criticism from Dost Muhammad Mazari
Security officials rescued Dost Mazari and shifted him to the deputy speaker chamber. The official has reportedly sustained injuries during the incident.
How PTI members attacked @DostM_Mazari in #PunjabAssembly#وزیراعلی_حمزہ_شہبازشریف #PMLN pic.twitter.com/AEPbQGhenw
— Afzaal Abbasi (@imafzaal5) April 16, 2022
Earlier, PTI submitted a no-confidence motion against the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly. Important to note, Dost Muhammad Mazari is a PTI-backed deputy speaker to the secretary of the provincial assembly. They submitted the no-confidence motion on the basis of distrust against him. To clarify, the move came for withdrawing the order postponing April 6 PA session to April 16.
Speaking to journalists today, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said he knows from where Dost Mohammad Mazari is taking instructions and will share details at the right time.
“Time will prove whether the deputy speaker was honest or not […] we will try to hold a transparent election today,” Elahi said.
ڈپٹی اسپیکر پنجاب اسمبلی دوست محمد کو تشدد کا نشانہ بنایا جارہا ہے!!! pic.twitter.com/uK6tWuG0GU
— Salman Durrani (@DurraniViews) April 16, 2022
Number game in Punjab
The CM’s office has been vacant for nearly two weeks since ex-governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar — who was removed from his position last week — accepted Usman Buzdar’s resignation on April 1.
Therefore, currently, all eyes are on electing the next Chief Minister of Punjab. Important to note, PTI’s candidate for Punjab Chief Minister is PML-Q Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. Meanwhile, PML-N chose Hamza Shehbaz. Both candidates need at least 186 votes in the House of 371 to win the poll for the slot of CM Punjab.
The Opposition is optimistic that it will win as it claims to have more than 188 MPAs. The Opposition MPAs include PML-N, PPP, and the rest of the PTI rebel groups.
Read more: PML-N moves LHC for urgent election of Punjab CM