KARACHI - The elections for the speaker and deputy speaker Sindh Assembly slots would be held today (Wednesday) and two candidates each for both the slots will be vying for the posts from opposition and treasury benches.
The Pakistan People’s Party has fielded Agha Siraj Durrani - who is also an incumbent speaker - for the speakership but replaced former speaker Shehla Raza with Rehana Legahari for deputy speaker in this tenure. The PPP has a clear majority of 98 seats in the 168-member provincial assembly and its candidate could easily bag both the seats.
The joint opposition comprising Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance has fielded joint candidates for both the slots.
The MQM-P nominated MPA Javed Hanif- who is arrested for alleged illegal recruitments in Port Qasim Authorirty- for the speakership while the PTI nominated MPA on reserved seat Rabia Azfar for the deputy speaker slot. The opposition alliance in the house has support of 62 candidates while TLP and MMA are yet to decide on supporting any of the candidates. TLP spokesman said that they were not approached by any sides and would decide if anyone approaches them. Meanwhile, the lone MMA candidate Abdul Rasheed said he was approached by GDA leader and MPA Shaheryar Maher for support on chief minister slot and he would decide after consultations within party.
Earlier, in the day Agha Siraj Durrani and Rehana Leghari accompanied by former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and CM designate Murad Ali Shah submitted nomination forms for the slots to the secretary provincial assembly.
The joint candidates for the opposition in the provincial assembly Javed Hanif and Rabia Azfar also submitted their forms separately at the assembly secretariat. The nomination forms were later scrutinized and all four nominations were approved after no objections were raised on them.
Meanwhile, sources within PTI said that the members in the parliamentary party had raised serious objections over nomination of Javed Hanif from MQM-P for speakership as he is being arrested by NAB authorities for illegal appointments in Port Qasim Authority while being the chairman of the Authority. MQM-P’s Hanif and PPPP’s Sharjeel Memon were the two MPAs-elect who were brought from prison for attending the session.
A member of the provincial assembly, who wished not to be named, said that it was matter of serious concern for them as they had always raised their voice against corruption. “Although case against him is yet to be proved but the MQM-P could have nominated another person who has a clean personality,” he said adding that the corruption is not proved even against Sharjeel Memon, Dr Asim Hussain and other PPP leaders but the party had always criticized them and if they would vote for such candidate then it would not go down well within the party.
Meanwhile, MQM-P MPA Muhammad Hussain said that Hanif was innocent as neither a case is being lodged against him from NAB yet nor he has signed any of the recruitment letter for which he is being blamed. “It is only an inquiry from the NAB,” he said adding that no one has conveyed any reservation over his candidature to them.