The uncertainty over who's going to be in charge of Pakistan's biggest province by population and the biggest province by land mass has finally been dispelled on Thursday, with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) naming a professor and a businessman for the two posts.

The ECP had to step in to take a decision in both cases after provincial lawmakers failed to arrive at a consensus in either case after multiple rounds of deliberation.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's proposed nominee, political scientist and analyst Prof Hasan Askari, has been tapped as the interim chief executive of Punjab — a move that has sparked some consternation in the PML-N. Read more about his appointment here.

In Balochistan, the reins have been handed to Alauddin Marri, a businessman and social activist. He had been a nominee of the outgoing provincial government. More about his appointment here.