PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz was elected as chief minister Pakistan's Punjab on Saturday in a ruckus marred session of the Punjab Assembly.
Ahead of the vote, three 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.
Hamza Shehbaz 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.
Hamza is the third member from his family to be elected as chief minister of Punjab. Earlier, his father Shehbaz Sharif, who is now the PM, and uncle former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also held the post.
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 11:30am. However, it was delayed as government lawmakers — PTI and PML-Q — resorted to violence.
After Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari announced the result the session was adjourned for Iftar.
My victory a win for democracy: Hamza
Once the session resumed the deputy speaker called Hamza to address the house, who termed his victory “a win for democracy” after the nation was kept tense since the last two weeks.
Summing up the events of the past two weeks, The CM-elect said that when the session was first summoned to elect the new leader of the house people “were attacked”.
The PML-N leader also shared that advocate general Punjab had assured the Supreme Court that the session to elect the new CM would be held on April 6 but on the day the doors of the assembly were closed and the deputy speaker’s powers were taken back.
“History does not forgive anyone,” said Hamza. He added that when the session was called for the third time today Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari was attacked.
“When we were sitting in lobby and got to know that you were targeted. I believe this is not an attack on you but on this assembly’s respect. Time goes but characters are membered,” said Hamza.
Source: Geo News