New Delhi: The Punjab Assembly in Pakistan witnessed chaos on Saturday as the lawmakers of ousted prime minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) allegedly manhandled Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari.
This took place when Mazari arrived to chair the session convened to elect the chief minister, Geo News reported.
The PTI members slapped Mazari following which he was escorted by Sergeant-At-Arms, Samaa TV reported.
The Deputy Speaker, as per reports, left the House after the incident.
The session of Punjab Assembly was scheduled to start at 11:30 am (local time) but was delayed due to the PTI lawmakers’ behaviour.
Pakistan Muslim League-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal took potshots at Imran Khan for the ruckus by the PTI lawmakers in the Punjab Assembly.
Iqbal, who is a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, tweeted: “Imran Niazi is hell bent to create anarchy at all levels. The display of vandalism, hooliganism & violence in Punjab Assembly by PTI & Q League MPAs to block election of Chief Minister is most condemnable. Imran is proving that he is Hitler’s disciple but will be stopped.”
This development took place as Punjab Assembly members were to elect the new chief minister of the province in Pakistan on the Lahore High Court’s direction, Dawn newspaper reported.
Pakistan Muslim League-Q candidate Pervaiz Elahi and Hamza Shehbaz, the Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, are stated to be in a close contest for the chief minister’s chair post Sardar Usman Buzdar’s resignation.
Buzdar was nominated to the post by Imran Khan earlier in 2018.
Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti, as per Dawn, had instructed Mazari to hold the chief minister’s election on April 16.
Earlier on Thursday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced holding the first phase of local government elections in Punjab province on June 9.
The first phase of the polls will be held in a total of 17 districts.