LAHORE, June 5: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif is set to take oath as member of the Punjab Assembly on Friday morning.

The Punjab Assembly session will begin at 9am, and its main agenda is stated to be the oath of Mr Sharif and his ultimate election as leader of the house in place of his nominee Chief Minister Sardar Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa.

PML-N spokesman Pervaiz Rashid said Mr Khosa would tender his resignation on Friday afternoon, but the governor would ask him to continue as the chief minister till the election of Mr Sharif.

Shahbaz Sharif would file nomination papers for leader of the house on Saturday. Election for the seat would be held on Sunday.

The new chief minister and his cabinet would take oath at the Governor’s House the same evening. Shahbaz would take vote of confidence on June 9.

The existing cabinet would also resign along with Mr Khosa who was likely to become a provincial minister.

Meanwhile, assembly’s other agenda for Friday includes condolence for PML-N MPA from Sialkot Tariq Mahmood who died recently, and a resolution to appreciate the restoration of Pakistan’s status as a member of the Commonwealth.

The government is also set to present five ordinances in the assembly for adoption as bills.

They are: The Punjab Examination Commission Ordinance 2008, The King Edward Medical University (Amendment) Ordinance 2008, The University of Health Sciences Lahore (Amendment) Ordinance 2008, The Nazaria-i-Pakistan Foundation (Repeal) Ordinance 2008 and the Punjab Pension Funds (Amendment) Ordinance, 2008.

Raja Riaz: Senior Minister Raja Riaz of the PPP said on Thursday the Punjab cabinet would resign along with Chief Minister Dost Muhammad Khosa on Friday (today), making room for PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif to lead the province afterwards.

At a news conference here, he said the cabinet expansion, if any, would be after the provincial budget.

He said the size of the new cabinet (under Shahbaz) would remain the same but portfolios of some ministers could be changed.

Raja Riaz said the PPP would keep the same ministers, indicating that the PML--N could make some changes.

Congratulating Mr Shahbaz Sharif for his unopposed election, he said this happened after the PPP withdrew its candidate to a Bhakkar Punjab Assembly seat. “We will fully cooperate with him like we did with Mr Khosa,” he said.

The senior minister denied reports that the PPP was having some differences with the PML-N over the issue of some ministries in the Punjab. But said that it was consulting Mr Asif Ali Zardari over the issue of some ministries, and a decision was expected after the budget.

He said the PPP had rendered countless sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the country. The joint agenda of both the PPP and the PML-N was to serve the people.

Replying to a question on Kalabagh Dam, he said all new dams would be constructed through consensus among all provinces. Nevertheless, to overcome water shortage, the Punjab government would construct five small dams. “We will strive to resolve the energy crisis so as to rid people of loadshedding,” he said.

LG SYSTEM TO STAY: Meanwhile, talking to a delegation of local governments representatives, the senior minister said the local government system would stay. The government would further strengthen it so as to benefit the people.

He termed the local government system the nursery of democracy, which produced new political leadership. The government would patronize the local councils, making changes in them according to the present-day needs and aspirations of people.

He said the local government system was introduced by the PPP. It was a part of the democratic vision of Ms Benazir Bhutto, which was aimed at using the local councils for the service of people.

He announced that the PPP would soon organize a convention of councillors and nazims.