Pakistan’s newly-elected lawmakers were sworn in on Thursday during Parliament’s maiden session amid vociferous protests by the supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan alleging massive vote rigging during the elections.
The National Assembly was summoned after President Dr Arif Alvi’s initial refusal due to differences with the caretaker government over the issue of Khan’s party-backed candidates not being allotted the reserved seats.
The opening session of the 16th Parliament, headed by the outgoing Speaker of the previous Parliament, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, began after a delay of more than an hour.
The general elections were held on February 8 and the National Assembly should meet within 21 days after the day of polling, according to the Constitution.
Ashraf administered the oath to the newly-elected lawmakers amidst unruly scenes as 71-year-old Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf:-backed lawmakers chanted slogans against alleged vote rigging in the February 8 general elections.
According to a notification issued by the National Assembly Secretariat later, the new parliament would elect the next Prime Minister on Sunday. It stated that the candidates for the election of the Prime Minister will have to submit their nomination papers by March 2 and their examination will also take place at three o’clock on the same day.
Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has announced the name of Shehbaz Sharif for the post of Prime Minister, who has the support of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and other parties.
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