Historical context: This article covers events surrounding the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker change in late July 2022. It is preserved as a historical report and is not a current political update.

Dost Muhammad Mazari was removed as deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly after a no-confidence motion against him succeeded with 186 votes. The vote followed a period of political dispute between Mazari and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi elected deputy speaker

After Mazari was removed, PTI lawmaker Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi became the new deputy speaker. Abbasi, who represented PP-12 (Rawalpindi-VII), was the joint candidate backed by PTI and PML-Q.

Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi was elected unopposed on July 30, 2022 after no opposition candidate submitted nomination papers before the deadline. He subsequently took oath as deputy speaker.

Background to the no-confidence vote

The dispute followed Mazari’s ruling during the Punjab chief minister election, in which he rejected 10 PML-Q votes. PTI leaders opposed that ruling. The Supreme Court of Pakistan later set aside Mazari’s ruling, after which Pervaiz Elahi became chief minister of Punjab.

The Punjab Assembly then proceeded with the no-confidence process against Mazari. Following his removal, the deputy speaker position became vacant and Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi was selected to replace him.

What happened

By the end of July 2022, the sequence was complete: Mazari had been removed through the no-confidence vote, and Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi had been elected as his successor. This clarification is important because earlier reporting published during the fast-moving political developments described these steps as upcoming events.