Rana Aftab Khan replaces Mian Aslam Iqbal as PTI's candidate for Punjab CM

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has replaced Mian Aslam Iqbal with Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan as its candidate for Punjab’s chief minister, according to a party leader.

“The party leadership, in consultation with Mr Iqbal, has decided to nominate Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan for the CM position as the police from the entire Punjab are at the Punjab Assembly to arrest our CM candidate Aslam Iqbal,” Hammad Azhar wrote on X.

“Rana Aftab is the senior most member of the PA who in the past got elected PA member five times.”

The choice was made in light of Iqbal’s nomination in several instances involving the May 9 riots.

The timetable released on Sunday stated that Aftab Khan and Maryam Nawaz would compete for the position of chief minister on Monday at 11 a.m.

It further stated that nomination papers may be sent in by Sunday at 5 p.m.

PML-N has nominated Maryam Nawaz for the chief minister-ship, aiming for her to become the country’s first-ever female chief minister.

Despite challenges from PTI-backed independents, PML-N remains confident in securing sufficient seats to form the government

In a related development on Saturday, Malik Ahmed Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured victory as the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly.

He defeated the candidate fielded by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) in a secret ballot, where he garnered 224 votes, surpassing his opponent, Ahmed Khan Bachhar, who received 96 votes.

Earlier, newly-elected members of the Punjab Assembly were sworn in on Friday.