Pervaiz Ashraf appointed Pakistan National Assembly's new Speaker
Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, a former Pakistan premier, was on Saturday appointed the 22nd speaker of the countrys National Assembly after he was elected unopposed.
Ashraf, 71, from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was administered the oath of office by PML-Ns Ayaz Sadiq, who was initially chairing the session.
Ashraf was the lone contender for the Speakers position as no other candidate had submitted nomination papers against him.
The office of the Speaker fell vacant after Asad Qaiser resigned on April 9 after failing to implement a decision by the Supreme Court to hold a no-confidence vote against ousted prime minister Imran Khan.
After taking the oath, Ashraf thanked his party leaders for deeming him worthy of the position. He also thanked the prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and the members of the assembly.
He said that a “new tradition” had been initiated in parliamentary history, adding that the speaker was the custodian of the house.
He said that for the past three years, the house had been “incomplete” as the former opposition went unheard, the Dawn newspaper reported.
“I consider it my duty not to let the voice of the Opposition get suppressed,” he said, adding that it should be heard and respected.
“There is a saying in English that the majority has its way, but the Opposition must have its say. We have to always keep this in view,” he said, adding that “consultation among institutions is the spirit of the Constitution.” Congratulating the newly-elected speaker, Prime Minister Sharif hoped that Ashraf could bury what took place in the assembly in the last four years.
“You are an experienced politician. I congratulate you from the depth of my heart. You have also served the country as the prime minister,” the prime minister said.
Ashraf, who previously served as the prime minister of Pakistan from June 22, 2012, to March 16, 2013, and was elected after the office of a speaker was given to the Pakistan Peoples Party – the leading partner of the current coalition government.
Meanwhile, Qasim Khan Suri resigned as deputy speaker of Pakistans National Assembly on Saturday, less than an hour before a session of the House where voting on a no-trust motion against him was to take place for favouring the previous government led by Khan.
Suri from Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party had been functioning as the acting speaker following the resignation of Speaker Asad Qaiser.
Sharing a copy of his resignation on Twitter, Suri said his move signified his association with the vision of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (
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