NEW DELHI: Sindh and Punjab are set to determine their chief ministers on Monday, marking a significant development in the anticipated ruling coalition between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the federal level, according to a report by Dawn.
The political landscape is filled with expectations as candidates backed by the PTI in the 371-member Punjab Assembly promise a potential surprise.
In Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senior Vice President of PML-N, has emerged as the party’s contender for the coveted Chief Minister position. Her competitor is Rana Aftab Ahmed of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Meanwhile, in Sindh, the PPP’s Murad Ali Shah will face off against Ali Khurshidi, the candidate from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
The political chessboard in Punjab took an unexpected turn as the SIC initially nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for the chief minister position but replaced him with Rana Aftab from Faisalabad.
Iqbal, a former PPP member, had not taken the oath as Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) due to fears of arrest by the Punjab police. Rana Aftab, expressing optimism, hinted at a potential surprise in the upcoming election but lamented the restriction on SIC MPAs entering the Punjab Assembly premises.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s victory seems imminent, considering the party’s previous success in securing 224 votes for their nominee for the Speaker’s office, compared to SIC’s 98 votes.
Confident of her victory, Maryam is already engaged in consultations for her cabinet and development agenda, with the bureaucracy providing briefings on various affairs.
She is expected to become the 30th Chief Minister of Punjab and the first woman to lead the province.
In Sindh, the PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami have announced a boycott of the Chief Minister’s election proceedings. The PPP has nominated Murad Ali Shah, while the MQM-P has fielded Ali Khurshidi.
The PTI alleges that Shah sought their support but asserts its decision to boycott, aiming to challenge what it perceives as the theft of the people’s mandate. The JI, aligning with the PTI, also boycotts the process.
( with input from agency)
The political landscape is filled with expectations as candidates backed by the PTI in the 371-member Punjab Assembly promise a potential surprise.
In Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senior Vice President of PML-N, has emerged as the party’s contender for the coveted Chief Minister position. Her competitor is Rana Aftab Ahmed of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).
Meanwhile, in Sindh, the PPP’s Murad Ali Shah will face off against Ali Khurshidi, the candidate from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
The political chessboard in Punjab took an unexpected turn as the SIC initially nominated Mian Aslam Iqbal for the chief minister position but replaced him with Rana Aftab from Faisalabad.
Iqbal, a former PPP member, had not taken the oath as Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) due to fears of arrest by the Punjab police. Rana Aftab, expressing optimism, hinted at a potential surprise in the upcoming election but lamented the restriction on SIC MPAs entering the Punjab Assembly premises.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s victory seems imminent, considering the party’s previous success in securing 224 votes for their nominee for the Speaker’s office, compared to SIC’s 98 votes.
Confident of her victory, Maryam is already engaged in consultations for her cabinet and development agenda, with the bureaucracy providing briefings on various affairs.
She is expected to become the 30th Chief Minister of Punjab and the first woman to lead the province.
In Sindh, the PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami have announced a boycott of the Chief Minister’s election proceedings. The PPP has nominated Murad Ali Shah, while the MQM-P has fielded Ali Khurshidi.
The PTI alleges that Shah sought their support but asserts its decision to boycott, aiming to challenge what it perceives as the theft of the people’s mandate. The JI, aligning with the PTI, also boycotts the process.
( with input from agency)