The nomination papers of Shehbaz Sharif and Omar Ayub for the elections of the prime minister or leader of the house in the National Assembly were approved on Saturday.
The Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Sunni Ittehad Council on Saturday submitted nomination papers for Shehbaz Sharif and Omar Ayub, respectively.
The Mutahhida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, and Pakistan People’s Party have all backed the PML-N’s candidate, ensuring that he will be smoothly elected for the prime minister’s slot once again.
PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Hanif Abbasi, and PPP leader Khursheed Shah submitted the documents on behalf of Shehbaz. Seven MNAs are proposers and seven others are seconders for the former PM’s nomination papers.
Attaullah Tarar, Anusha Rehman, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Romina Khursheed Alam, Kheeal Das Kohistani, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Yousuf, Khawaja Asif, Awais Laghari, Awn Chaudry and many other MNAs also reached the NA secretary office with them.
On the other hand, the SIC submitted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Omar Ayub’s nomination papers to the secretary of the lower house.
On February 29, the National Assembly Secretariat issued the schedule of the election for prime minister’s office according to which the election will take place today (March 3).
The time for submission of nomination papers ended at 2pm on Saturday while the time for scrutiny of the nomination papers ended at 3pm.
Both major parties — PPP and PML-N — got their speaker and deputy speaker elected with ease in Friday’s session, with the SIC and PTI-backed candidates suffering defeat.
Following the prime minister’s election, the newly-elected lawmakers will also elect a new head of the state on March 9, marking an end to the tenure of PTI-backed President Arif Alvi.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate for the incoming coalition government, PPPP President Asif Ali Zardari, will face off against Sunni Ittehad Council candidate PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
The nomination papers for both candidates were filed in the Islamabad High Court on Saturday. Farooq H. Naik and Saleem Mandviwala filed Zardari’s papers while PTI leaders Sardar Latif Khosa and Omar Ayub Khan filed the papers for Achakzai before Chief Justice IHC Aamer Farooq who is the presiding officer for the presidential polls. According to the ECP schedule, polling for the presidential election will be held on March 9 from 10 am to 4 pm.
Meanwhile, the swearing-in ceremony of prime minister is likely to take place on Monday at 3 pm in the President’s House. President Dr Arif Alvi will administer the oath.
