PTI MPA Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, who was elected the deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly unopposed on Saturday, took the oath of his office on Sunday.

Newly elected Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan administered oath to Wasiq Qayyum in the assembly.

It is pertinent to mention here that the deputy speaker’s slot fell vacant after a no-trust motion ousted Dost Mohammad Mazari from the office.

Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi was elected the deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly unopposed after no other candidate filed nomination papers for the post.

However, the MPAs of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan People’s Party did not attend today’s Punjab Assembly session.

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On Saturday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) submitted a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC), challenging the Punjab Assembly Speaker’s election and terming it illegal and unconstitutional.

The PML-N candidate Malik Saiful Malook Khokhar for PA speaker election in his plea claimed that the election was held in an ‘illegal and unconstitutional manner.

Mr. Khokhar and another PML-N MPA Mian Abdul Rauf contended that the election was a ‘complete violation of Article 226 which said that: “all elections under the Constitution, other than those of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister, shall be held by secret ballot”.

They maintained that the balloting had not been secret and that “the ballot papers and counterfoils were serial numbered in such a manner that the choice exercised by each MPA could be identified by comparing the serial number on the ballot paper and the serial number and signatures of MPAs on the counterfoils of the ballot papers. As a result, the secrecy of the ballot could easily be breached”.

The petitioners further said that they indicated the matter verbally and through a written application to the respondent panel of chairmen Waseem Khan Badozai and the assembly secretary, both of whom refused to take any action.

They requested that the court declare the “impugned” election illegal and proclaim the contest to be void.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sibtain Khan won 185 votes from the lawmakers from the PTI, the PML-Q and other allies whereas his rival PML-N’s Saiful Malook Khokhar obtained 175 votes in the election held on Friday (July 29).