The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and its allies on Thursday secured the speaker and deputy speaker's positions in both Punjab and Balochistan, while the assemblies of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elected their chief ministers on what was a big day for democracy in Pakistan.

Punjab

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Pervez Elahi was sworn in as Punjab Assembly speaker after he was elected to the post with 201 votes — more than expected.

Elahi was up against PML-N's Iqbal Gujar, who received 147 votes ─ 15 less than expected.

A total of 354 MPAs cast their vote in the election. The PTI-backed candidate was expected to receive 185 votes, including 10 from the PML-Q, whereas the PML-N candidate was expected to get 162 votes.

The PPP said it will boycott the election for speaker and deputy speaker, with MPA Hassan Murtaza citing the "PML-N's attitude" toward his party as the reason behind the move.

PTI-allied MPAs engaged in verbal clashes with opposition MPAs as Elahi took oath in the Assembly.

The voting was held through secret ballot. CCTV cameras were turned off inside the Assembly to preserve the secrecy of MPAs' votes. The lawmakers were not allowed to take their cellphones to the polling booth.

Former Punjab Assembly speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal cancelled the vote cast by PTI's Sadiqa Khan for violating the code of conduct.

Sadiqa cast her vote after showing it to her fellows, prompting political opponents to rush to the speaker and demand that he cancel the vote.

PTI's Dost Mazari and PML-N's Waris Kalo were then set to go head to head for the post of deputy speaker.

The election for the deputy speaker was delayed by more than an hour as the PML-N leaders levelled horse-trading allegations and even considered boycotting the poll. They also discussed the matter with party president Shahbaz Sharif.

The PML-N eventually took part in the election but like the speaker voting earlier, their candidate lost out to the PTI rival in the race for deputy speaker as well.

Mazari secured 187 votes and became the new deputy speaker of the house. Kalo, meanwhile, received 159 votes.

Speaker Elahi administered oath to Mazari — his deputy.

Balochistan

Balochistan Awami Party's (BAP) Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was elected speaker of the Balochistan Assembly.

He secured 39 of the total 59 votes that were cast, while Haji Nawaz Kakar, the joint opposition's nominee, garnered the remaining 20 votes. None of the votes were rejected.

Outgoing speaker Rahila Durrani administered oath to Bizenjo, her successor.

Meanwhile, PTI's Sardar Babar Khan Musakhel was elected the deputy speaker of the Balochistan Assembly. He secured 36 of the 58 votes cast, while his opponent — BNP's Ahmed Nawaz — received 21 votes. One vote was rejected.

Musakhel was the consensus candidate of BAP, PTI, Awami National Party, Hazara Democratic Party, BNP-Awami and Jamhoori Watan Party.

Sindh

The Sindh Assembly returned Murad Ali Shah to his role as chief minister Sindh.

With 17 women and five minority seats, the PPP has around 97 MPAs in the house.

Shah received all 97 of those votes, against GDA nominee Shahryar Mehr's 61. There was a headcount of supporters.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In the KP Assembly, where the PTI had grabbed the speaker and deputy speaker's slots a day earlier, the party's nominee Mahmood Khan — former provincial minister for sports — was elected comfortably as the 22nd leader of the house.

Khan hails from Swat and holds a master's degree in agriculture. He was elected from the PK-9 seat in 2018, and had been a member of the PTI since 2012. He has served as a minister for sports, irrigation, tourism and the provincial interior minister.

The opposition had fielded Mian Nisar Gul to vie against him.

The chief minister was elected through the division of the house system. All MPAs who supported Mian Nisar Gul's candidature were asked to move to Lobby 1, while all in support of Mahmood Khan were asked to move to Lobby 2 of the KP Assembly building.

There was a headcount of supporters, with Mahmood Khan elected CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 77 votes to Mian Nisar Gul's 33.

Newly-elected Speaker KP Assembly Mushtaq Ghani presided over the proceedings.