Pakistan: Punjab Assembly to elect new CM today; Pervaiz Elahi, Hamza Shehbaz lead race

Members of the Punjab Assembly will elect the new Chief Minister of the province in Pakistan during the Saturday session at 11:30 am on the direction of the Lahore High Court, a local media reported.

The special session of the House to elect the Chief Minister will be chaired by Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari, Dawn newspaper reported.

Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) candidate Pervaiz Elahi and the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Hamza Shehbaz, are stated to be in a close contest for the post of CM after the resignation of Sardar Usman Buzdar, who was nominated to the post by the ousted Pakistan PM Imran Khan in 2018.

Today's session will be held in line with the Lahore High Court's Wednesday order. Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti had instructed Mazari to hold the election of Chief Minister on April 16, reported Dawn newspaper.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday announced holding the first phase of local government elections in Punjab province on June 9 this year.

The first phase of elections will be held in a total of 17 districts.

According to the schedule, the public notice inviting nomination papers will be issued by the returning officers (ROs) from April 18 although the last date for withdrawal of candidature and publication of candidate list would be issued on May 19, The Nation reported.

The ROs will publish the names of candidates on April 26 and the nomination papers will be scrutinised between April 27 to May 9.

The ROs will publish the revised list of candidates on May 16 and the date for withdrawal of nomination papers by the candidates and publication of the revised lists of candidates is May 19, The Nation reported.

The ECP barred holders of public offices from visiting any constituency for local government polls, unveiling any development scheme and canvassing for any candidate or political party.

The ECP also issued a code of conduct to ensure that elections are conducted honestly, justly and fairly in accordance with law and corrupt practices are guarded, The Nation reported.

(ANI)