Slowly but surely the Feb 8 election result is becoming a fait accompli, and the system will move ahead, despite dissatisfaction and protests for some time to come, including many long drawn-out legal battles in the ECP and courts.

And the system is moving ahead as the oath-taking in Punjab and Sindh assemblies demonstrated, with the former also likely to decide who will be the Speaker and deputy Speaker this weekend, before moving on to elect the two chief ministers next week.

Given the numbers in Punjab, Sindh and KP assemblies, it is safe to assume, the usual protests aside, that PML-N, PPP and SIC (read: PTI — not to be confused with SIFC), respectively, ought to see their nominees take the Speaker and deputy Speaker slots as well as the chief minister’s positions in the three provinces.

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