ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party this week bagged the post of deputy speaker in the Punjab Assembly, with elections for the chief minister in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province scheduled to be held on Monday. 

Malik Ahmed Khan, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate for speaker, was elected as the custodian of the house against the Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, on Saturday in the 371-member house. Khan polled 224 votes while Bhachar secured 96.

Meanwhile, the PML-N’s nominee Zaheer Iqbal Channar won the election for the deputy speaker’s post on Saturday, defeating his opponent from the SIC, Moin Riaz. The election of the speaker and deputy speaker was held through secret ballot in the house.

“Zaheer Iqbal Channar has taken oath as deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly,” the PML-N wrote on social media platform X on Saturday. In a video uploaded with the post, Khan can be seen administering oath to Channar. 

Meanwhile, the nominations for the chief minister of Punjab’s election are supposed to be received by the Punjab Assembly today, Sunday, while elections for the coveted post are scheduled to be held on Monday. 

Members of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party who won the polls had joined the SIC to claim their share of the reserved seats in the assembly since they contested as independents. But the issue is pending before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which is yet to make a decision on the matter.

As the SIC’s Mian Aslam Iqbal— who is wanted by the police in multiple legal cases— could not take oath in the Punjab Assembly as a legislator on Saturday, the PTI announced it has nominated Aftab Ahmad Khan to run for the office of chief minister of Punjab against the PML-N’s candidate, Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

“After consulting Mian Aslam Iqbal, the party leadership and Aslam Iqbal have decided to nominate Aftab Ahmad Khan for the chief minister’s election,” the PTI said on social media platform X. 

The Punjab Assembly is the largest elected house in the country comprising 297 general seats and 74 reserved seats.

Monday’s election will likely see Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, make history as the first woman chief minister of Punjab.

Maryam, 50, plays an influential role in her father’s PML-N and has been presented by him as his political heir apparent. She is senior vice president of the party.