PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif set to become PM today for third time
05 June, 2013
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif is set to get the coveted office of prime minister third time on the back of simple majority of his party and support of other parliamentary parties in the election for the office today (Wednesday).
Nawaz will, however, be challenged by Makhdoom Amin Fahim of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the election for the next chief executive of the country. The prime minister's election will be held on 11am today, culminating in the transfer of power to the new government, to be led by the PML-N.
On Tuesday, Nawaz Sharif, Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi submitted their nomination papers for the election, which were declared valid. In the face of simple majority of the PML-N coupled with the support of other parties, Nawaz will not face much resistance from the other contesting candidates in the election of the leader of the House and will easily bag the prime minister's slot.
Apart from its own simple majority, the PML-N has succeeded in securing the support of the JUI-F, National Party, independents from FATA as well as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which announced it would vote for Nawaz in the election for prime minister despite sitting on the opposition benches. JUI-F chief Fazlur Rahman also announced on Tuesday that he would vote for Nawaz, saying that negotiation for his party's joining the government are ongoing.
However, the PML-N could not garner the support of PPPP, the second largest parliamentary group, for its prime ministerial candidate. The PPPP supported the PML-N candidates for speaker and deputy speaker's offices, however, it announced to contest the prime minister's election. Talking to media after the parliamentary meeting of PPP, Makhdoom Amin Fahim said the PPP would field its candidate for the prime minister against Nawaz Sharif. He said the PPP did not want to make the offices of National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker controversial so it did not field its candidates for these respective offices.
He said the PML-N had contacted the PPP for support in the election for the prime minister's office, but PPP has decided to take part in the contest. Imran Khan-led PTI also announced to challenge Nawaz Sharif, as it did in the case of speaker and deputy speaker's election despite having low numerical strength in the House. The prime minister's election will come two days after the election of PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq and Murtaza Javed Abbasi to the posts of speaker and deputy speaker of the assembly, respectively.
Contrary to the election of speaker and deputy which is held through secret ballot, the prime minister's election would be conducted through division of House in lobbies. A lobby will be created for each candidate and members will go in the lobby of the candidate whom they want to vote. After the counting of the members in each lobby, National Assembly speaker will announce the result of the election of the prime minister.
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