Pervez Elahi likely to become Punjab Assembly speaker

• Pervaiz Elahi likely to become Punjab Assembly speaker
• PTI had claimed to have acquired the required number of seats to form governments

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership on Tuesday agreed to bring Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the speaker of Punjab Assembly.

It was reported that the party needed to bring a strong candidate on board as it leads against the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with a slight margin in the provincial assembly.

In addition to that, Elahi would have to give up his National Assembly seats, if he agrees to join in as the speaker of Punjab Assembly. Thus, bringing down the total number of seats for PTI and dent its efforts to form a government in the centre.

As efforts to form governments in Punjab and the centre continue, the PTI leadership has been holding meetings with allied parties and independents to acquire the necessary numbers to form provincial and federal governments.

At present, the PTI claims it has gained the support of 17 independents and PML-Q MPAs which, in addition to its own 123 members elected to the house, brings its total tally to 149 members in the present provincial assembly of 295 — enough to form a coalition government.

However, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah had said that the party has enough MPAs, including independents, to form a government and are not revealing their identities on purpose.

PML-Q stands with PTI 

On Monday, a delegation of PML-Q met PTI chief Imran Khan at his Bani Gala residence in the federal capital.

In the meeting, PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jahangir Tareen, Asad Umar, Naeem-ul-Haq and others were also present.

PTI had claimed to have acquired the required numbers to form governments in the Centre, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces while it plans to form the government in Balochistan along with its allies.

About Imran Khan’s meeting with PML-Q leadership, Fawad had said that both the parties had agreed on a formula which would be implemented.

“PML-Q would be PTI’s coalition partner in the centre and in Punjab. We have agreed on a formula under which due share would be given to the PML-Q,” he had said, making clear that PTI would have its own chief minister in Punjab.

Meanwhile, PML-N is still striving hard to convince the independent MPAs-elect for support in forming a government in Punjab, whereas PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah also failed to woo Maulana Muavia Azam and Taimur Bhatti.

PTI Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry, while talking to the media, claimed that his party had achieved the support of 168 members out of the nearly 330 National Assembly seats that have been filled through the July 25 election, including reserved seats. He added that the PTI had also won over 180 members of Punjab Assembly, enabling it to form a government in the largest province of the country.

Fawad had said that the number of PTI members in National Assembly had reached 144 along with the reserved seats, which also included seven independents, four members of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), six lawmakers of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM), four members of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and two members of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).