| Deputy speaker Qasim Suri resigns before voting on no-trust motion
| Assembly passes resolution to condemn Punjab Assembly hullabaloo

 

ISLAMABAD   -   PPP’s senior lawmaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, a consensus candidate of the ruling clique, was yesterday elected unopposed Speaker of the National Assembly.

Pervaiz Ashraf, in his first order after assuming the charge, directed the national assembly secretariat to de-seal the 123 resignations of PTI MNAs.

“The matter would be taken in accordance with the law. I will watch this matter,” said the Speaker, directing the national assembly secretariat to deal with the en masse resignations of PTI lawmakers.

Former Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, before tendering resignation from his seat an hour before voting on a no-trust motion against him, had accepted the 123 PTI MNAs resignations in one go.

Ashraf issued the ruling issued this ruling after MNAs from treasury benches asked the chair to verify the resignations submitted by the PTI MNAs earlier this week.

The Speaker, in his maiden speech, thanked his party leaders for deeming him worthy of the position.

He said that a “new tradition” had been initiated in parliamentary history, adding that the speaker was the custodian of the house. He went on to say that for the past three years, the house had been “incomplete” as the former opposition went unheard.

Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif, congratulating Speaker Pervaiz Ashraf, said that he was elected with the complete consensus of the house. “You are a senior parliamentarian and have also served as prime minister,” he said.

PML-N’s Khawaja Muhammad Asif also congratulated the Speaker National Assembly saying that the parliament was bound to uphold the law and the Constitution.

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari congratulated Raja Pervez Ashraf on becoming the Speaker on behalf of the united opposition and the PPP.

The lawmakers from treasury benches also passed a resolution condemning hullabaloo in the Punjab Assembly.

Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto presented a resolution on behalf of the House that expressed grief over the passing away of Bilquis Edhi. The House appreciated her singlehanded efforts to save more than 16000 orphans. The House also extended its condolences to the family, Edhi Foundation and the nation. The House recommended to the government that Begum Edhi be awarded posthumously the highest civil award.

Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri resigned from his seat just an hour before voting on a no-trust motion against him in the national assembly. “We will never compromise on Pakistan’s sovereignty and integrity. We will fight for the country’s interests and independence. We will go to any length to protect Pakistan,” said the deputy speaker, in a tweet.

Former Speaker Ayaz Sadiq informed the house that since the deputy speaker had resigned from his seat there was no need to conduct voting on a no-trust motion against him. The treasury benches would soon submit nomination papers of for the slot of deputy speaker in the national assembly.

Parliamentary sources said that a nomination paper of a consensus candidate from JUI-F for the slot of deputy speaker would be submitted in the coming week.