Pakistan: New Punjab CM announces inquiry into Assembly brawl

Lahore [Pakistan], April 17 (ANI): The newly-elected Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab Province, Hamza Shehbaz announced his plan to hold an inquiry into the province Assembly brawl where the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers attacked the deputy speaker and Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday, local media reported.
Yesterday, while speaking on the floor after assuming power, Punjab CM Shehbaz said, “We will also hold an inquiry into whatever happened in the assembly today and action will be taken against those held responsible. The conspiracy was not against me but it was hatched to target the democracy and the Constitution.”
He said that the entrance of police in the Assembly was not a good tradition. He also congratulated the police officers for their role in controlling the situation, ARY News reported.
“I am a worker of Nawaz Sharif, son of Shehbaz Sharif and I am here to serve the nation. I am grateful to Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif. I am also grateful to my party leadership for showing confidence in its worker,” Shehbaz was quoted as saying by ARY News.
Hamza Shahbaz was elected as the new chief minister with 197 votes. While his rival Pervaiz Elahi did not receive any votes as his party and PTI had boycotted the polls.
He is the third member of his family to be elected as chief minister of Punjab. Earlier, his father Shehbaz Sharif, who is now the prime minister, and his uncle former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also held the post.
Ahead of the vote, three PTI members of the Punjab Assembly were arrested for attacking Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari as the party boycotted the session to elect the new chief minister, The News International reported on Saturday.
Chaos ensued in Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly after the PTI lawmakers threw “lotas (round vessel)” at Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari as he arrived to chair the session for the election of the Chief Minister.
Notably, Punjab Chief Minister’s office has been vacant for nearly two weeks since former Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, who was removed from his position last week, accepted Usman Buzdar’s resignation on April 1. (ANI)