• Punjab Assembly will elect new Speaker
• PTI, PML-Q has nominated Sibtain Khan for the post
• The opposition has picked Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar
• The seat fell vacant after Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was elected CM
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LAHORE: The election for the Punjab Assembly Speaker will be held today (Friday) in the provincial assembly for the coveted slot.

The PTI and PMLQ have jointly fielded former Leader of Opposition Sibtain Khan whereas PML-N’s Malik Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar is the opposition’s candidate.

Both candidates submitted their nomination papers on Thursday which were approved after scrutiny by the assembly secretary. The voting will be held at 4 PM today in the provincial assembly. The candidates could withdraw their nomination before the start of polling.

The ruling coalition has a strength of 186 MPAs whereas PMLN, PPP and a few independents constitute of 178 members. A tough contest is expected as the polling is held by secret ballot and the PML-N is mulling its strategy to stage an upset.

Meanwhile, no confidence against Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Mir Dost Muhammad Mazari was also moved in the Punjab Assembly.

The session of the assembly was chaired by Panel of Chairman Wasim Badozai. Former law minister Raja Basharat tabled a resolution to suspend the rules of business for holding polls for the seat of speaker on Friday afternoon.

The motion was adopted with a majority vote. After reading out the procedure for the election of the new speaker, Badozai adjourned proceedings for Friday afternoon.

Sibtain Khan expressed hoped that he will easily win the slot and the PML-N would fail to stage any upset during the polling. He said everyone saw what happened with the letter that the PML-N brought to win the chief minister’s election.

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