The political arena in Pakistan’s Punjab and Sindh provinces is heating up as newly-elected Maryam Nawaz took the oath of office earlier today. While this is a routine event in the country’s democratic process, the stakes are high, and the results could have far-reaching implications.
The delayed Punjab Assembly session
The oath-taking ceremony was administered by outgoing Speaker Sibtain Khan to the newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly on Friday, heralding the start of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief minister nominee Maryam Nawaz’s parliamentary journey.
The assembly session, chaired by Sibtain, commenced after a delay of over two hours. The assembly secretary announced that the election for the speaker and deputy speaker would take place the following day through secret balloting, with nomination papers being collected and scrutinized on the same day.
This session marked the inaugural gathering of the provincial assembly post the February 8 general elections, during which the newly-elected members were sworn in. Among the attendees were 313 lawmakers, with 215 affiliated with the PML-N and its allies, while 98 members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) also took their oaths.
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Despite the delayed start, the session commenced with spirited exchanges as members from various parties engaged in slogan-chanting and heated discourse. With the country already grappling with a range of challenges, including economic instability and security concerns, the decisions made by these newly-elected officials will shape the nation’s future for years to come.
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