Mian Aslam Iqbal arrested, claims PTI

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has claimed that their nominee for Punjab Chief Minister, Mian Aslam Iqbal, has reportedly been apprehended.

This assertion emerged from party spokesperson Amir Dogar on Friday, just hours after the inauguration of Punjab Assembly members.

Dogar further stated that Iqbal's induction ceremony would occur upon his 'recovery'. Nevertheless, Dogar admitted the lack of communication with Iqbal, whose whereabouts remain undisclosed.

Previously, Iqbal had obtained bail from the Peshawar High Court as a precautionary measure against potential arrest.

In the inaugural assembly session on Friday, 85 PTI members, who have allied with the Sunni Ittehad Council, were sworn in. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz has put forward Maryam Nawaz as its nominee for the position of chief minister.

Speaker Sibtain Khan administered the oath to the newly elected MPAs.

Felicitating the newly elected members, the Speaker expressed the hope that they would come up to the expectations of the masses.

Earlier, Speaker Punjab Assembly Sibtain Khan said a level playing field has been provided to some lawmakers while not to others, in reference to obstacles being faced by PTI-backed independent candidates.

"Now that I have come to the assembly, I shall see who stops the representatives of the people from coming to the premie," said Khan on arrival at the assembly.