ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (APP): PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been elected Leader of the House in the National Assembly with a thumping majority. He secured 221 votes in the elections held at Parliament House on Tuesday evening.
His rivals Syed Naveed Qamar of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians secured 47 votes, candidate of PTI and PML(Q) Sheikh Rashid Ahmad 33 votes and Sahabzada Tariqullah of Jammat-e-Islami bagged 4 votes.
The result was announced by Speaker National Assembly following completion of the voting process in a specially convened session of the House. The Speaker declared that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Awami National Party and BNP-Mengal abstained from the voting.
Before beginning of the process, the Speaker read out the procedure set out for the purpose.
Earlier, MQM withdrew from the contest in favor Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while Syed Khurshid Shah of PPP Parliamentarians withdrew his nomination papers in favor of his party colleague Syed Naveed Qamar.
The galleries were filled to capacity with visitors including those belonging to the constituency of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Chief Ministers of Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan, Senators and members of the diplomatic community witnessed the proceedings of the House.
APP/saima/anm/VNS Islamabad
