People after freely expressing their choice and casting their votes in transparent manner at the polling stations across the country on July 25, 2018, were anxiously waiting for the election of the new Prime Minister which at last took place on August 17 in the newly constituted National Assembly on August 18, 2018.

In all fairness, August 17, 2018 was an important day in this regard as PTI Chairman Imran Khan outscored PML (N) President and former Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif securing the top job comfortably with a good margin after PPP had decided not take part in the voting procedure.

Afterwards, people had the opportunity of viewing on their tv sets through the courtesy of many public and private tv channels three speeches one after the other of newly-elected Prime Minister Imran Khan, Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Zardari.

The people would have heard these speeches clearly had not the PML(N) MNAs in the House and party leaders and supporters from the visitors galleries created uncalled for ruckus in the name of protest over alleged charges of rigging in the election though had not filed any petition at any forum in this regard so far.

Their ruckus and attempt to move towards Imran Khan was pre-empted by PTI MNAs who surrounded their party Chairman all around in no time to avert any untoward and unpleasant incident.

Imran Khan had to deliver his unwritten speech in a loud and somewhat hot manner to make it audible .He was followed by Shehbaz Sharif in his usual loud oratory delivery hurling all sorts of allegations. He should have at least firstly asked his party legislators to resume their seats so that he was listened more inside the House and he had not to repeat the same outburst outside the Parliament while talking to the media.

In short, Bilawal Zardari’s maiden speech in all fairness was better than that of Shehbaz Sharif though he did call Imran Khan prime minister-select. In doing so, he forgot the fact that majority of the people all over the country had selected Imran Khan and voted for him pinning all their hopes and expectations in the new Prime Minister.

M.A,H.SHEIKH,

Lahore, August 18.