Voting process for election of PM completes

Islamabad: The process of voting in the National Assembly for the election of the new Prime Minister of Pakistan has been completed after which the speaker of the House directed to start the counting of the votes.

The meeting of the National Assembly that started after an hour's delay is being presiding over by Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif, President PML-N Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Khawaja Asif, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, President PPP Parliamentarians Asif Ali Zardari and other members of the National Assembly have reached the House.

The speaker of the House directed the supporters of Shehbaz Sharif to go to the ‘Lobby A’. while the supporters of Umar Ayub are being directed to enter the ‘Lobby B’.

On the arrival of Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif in the House, the members raised slogans of ‘lion’and welcomed them by ringing the table.

At the beginning of the meeting, the allies and members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) raised slogans in the National Assembly.

Shehbaz Sharif is the candidate for the post of Prime Minister from the ruling alliance, while Umar Ayub Khan from the SIC will be his opponent.

Shehbaz Sharif has the support of PPP, Mutahidda Qoumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Istehkam-e-ePakistan Party (IPP) and other parties while Jamat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) has announced a boycott of the election of the Prime Minister.

In the 336-member house, 169 votes are required to become the prime minister. The alliance has the support of 209 members in the house, while the number of SIC members in the National Assembly is 91.

Speaker National Assembly approved the nomination papers of both the candidates after scrutiny.

According to the Constitution of Pakistan, a candidate for the election of the Prime Minister from the National Assembly must be a Muslim Member of National Assembly (MNA).