ISLAMABAD: The newly-elected members of the National Assembly are set to decide today (Friday) through a vote whether Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairperson Imran Khan or Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif enters the prime minister office as Pakistan’s 22nd premier.
The PTI, which emerged as the leading party in the July 25 general election, appears to be in a comfortable position to elect its chairman as the next prime minister. A simple majority of votes from the total strength of the house is required for the election of prime minister.
The PTI had, on its own, bagged 116 NA seats in the polls before the joining of nine additional independents, which took its tally to 125.
The party were subsequently allotted 33 reserved seats by the Election Commission of Pakistan last week, which sent its tally to 158.
Imran Khan has been the PTI’s unanimous choice for the PM’s job, especially after all 120 of the party’s parliamentary committee members approved his candidacy for the post.
Although the clear favourite, however, Imran Khan will face some competition for the post.
PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry had earlier claimed that his party, with the help of its allies, has garnered the support of 180 plus NA members at least eight more than required for a simple majority and enough to get Imran Khan elected PM in the first poll.
However, PML-Q, a key PTI ally, has also seen its quartet of NA seats reduced by half as their party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi the newly elected Speaker of Punjab Assembly also vacated both his seats in the lower house of the parliament.
The PTI’s perceived struggle in establishing its dominance had offered a glimmer of hope to Shahbaz Sharif the opposition’s joint candidate for the PM’s gig.
The decision to nominate him was made as part of an agreement between the three main opposition parties the PML-N, PPP and the MMA-P during an All Parties Conference but less than 24 hours before the election, PPP decided to “abstain” from today’s vote due to refusal of the PML-N to replace its candidate, making the contest a one-sided affair.
Sources told media that using backdoor channels, the PML-N had contacted the PPP leadership many times throughout the day on Thursday, asking it to review its decision in the larger interest of the opposition’s unity but the PPP refused to reverse its decision.
The eleventh-hour rift and retraction further dented whatever chance the joint opposition had against Imran Khan today therefore Imran Khan’s assuming power as Pakistan’s Prime Minister is just hours away with his last obstacle also being removed.