ISLAMABAD, February 26, 2024: The Provincial Assembly of Punjab convened on Monday for the third sitting of its inaugural session, during which the Chief Minister was elected.

The following are key observations of the sitting:

• Maryam Nawaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League—Nawaz (PMLN) and Mr. Rana Aftab Khan of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) submitted their nominations for the position of Chief Minister. Following the voting process, Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif secured 220 votes and was duly elected as the Chief Minister of Punjab. Mr. Rana Aftab Khan did not receive any votes, as the SIC chose to boycott the session and abstain from the voting process.
• The session commenced 30 minutes later than scheduled and lasted for a duration of three hours and 24 minutes. Two lawmakers, representing PMLN and SIC respectively, were sworn in during the sitting.
• In her inaugural address, the newly-elected Leader of the House spoke for an hour and 20 minutes, outlining her vision and priorities for the province.
• During the proceedings, Mr. Rana Shahbaz (SIC) raised a Point of Order, seeking to address additional agenda items. However, the Speaker informed him that, as per the Rules, the session was solely designated for the election of the Chief Minister, and other matters could not be entertained. This led to a temporary walkout by SIC members, lasting initially for 25 minutes, before they returned to the house. Subsequently, they staged another walkout from 12:21 hours until the conclusion of the sitting.
• At the outset of the sitting, there were 290 members present, with 218 members remaining until the end. Additionally, five members elected on minority seats attended the sitting.
• The session was prorogued sine die.

This factsheet is based on the direct observation of the House proceedings on February 26, 2024 by the Free and Fair Election Network.

For more updates, visit FAFEN Digital , www.fafen.org and www.openparlaiment.pk