PPP’s Awais Qadir Shah elected Sindh Assembly speaker

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Awais Qadir Shah was sworn in as the speaker of the Sindh Assembly after a majority of the lawmakers voted for him.

Shah won the post after securing 111 votes while his opponent, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Sofia Saeed, could only bag 36 votes.

Speaker Shah was administered oath by outgoing speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and will not hold elections for his deputy.

Meanwhile, members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) boycotted the election and did not cast votes.

Today’s session began with a brief delay after the members of the provincial assembly took oath.

Ahead of the voting for the speaker, outgoing speaker Durrani briefed the members about the polling process.

Since the new speaker has taken the oath, following the election, he will now oversee the polling for the deputy speaker’s slot.

PPP’s Anthony Naveed and MQM-P’s Rashid Khan are eyeing the post.

The papers of both candidates have been declared valid.

Following his win, Shah thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Faryal Talpur for their support.

“It is an honour to be elected as the assembly’s speaker from Sukkur for the first time,” he said.

He urged the lawmakers to forget the past and begin a new era, assuring to treat all the members equally.

“My only request is that if we follow the rule book, then God willing this house will function in the best way possible,” he added. He also expressed hope that the house would meet the expectations of the public.