Members of the media and security personnel gather at the main entrance of the National Assembly building, as the opening session of parliament commences, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Feb 29, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

ISLAMABAD - A total of 302 newly elected lawmakers took oath in the inaugural session of the 16th National Assembly of Pakistan here on Thursday, a notification by the National Assembly Secretariat read.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, the speaker of the national assembly, or the lower house of the country's parliament, administered oaths to the representatives.

Following the swearing-in ceremony, the next step before the formation of the new government is the election for the speaker and deputy speaker of the national assembly, which will be held on March 1, Ashraf announced

A total of 310 notifications of winning candidates from different constituencies and reserved seats have been issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan from the 336-member house, while the remaining are still awaited, withheld, or delayed.

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Following the swearing-in ceremony, the next step before the formation of the new government is the election for the speaker and deputy speaker of the national assembly, which will be held on March 1, Ashraf announced.

The National Assembly secretariat said that the country's prime minister will be elected on March 3, and the oath-taking ceremony of the new prime minister will also be held on the same day.

For the prime minister's election, a multi-party alliance comprising the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, and some smaller parties has been formed, which will vote for PML-N candidate as well as former prime minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Former Minister of Economic Affairs, the newly elected independent member of the lower house and senior leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Omar Ayub Khan, was supported by the Sunni Ittehad Council to compete for the slot of the prime minister.

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According to the ECP figures, the alliance of Shahbaz Sharif has 209-member representation in the national assembly, while the remaining members, including PTI-backed independents who joined the SIC and from other smaller parties, have 101-member representation in the house.

The winner of the prime minister needs 169 votes to win, according to the country's constitution.