Sindh Assembly: newly elected MPAs sworn in

KARACHI: The newly-elected members of the Sindh Assembly took oath today after Governor Kamran Khan Tessori convened the inaugural session of the 16^th provincial legislature.

Outgoing Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Khan Durrani presided over the maiden session of the new assembly and administered oath to the elected MPAs.

 At least 163 newly-elected Sindh Assembly members took oath in the house of 168 on Saturday as the session began with a delay amid high security.

Prior to the swearing-in ceremony, the police detained 10 workers including women of the Qaumi Awami Tehreek who staged protests outside the Sindh Assembly against the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections. The law enforcement officials also baton-charged the protestors.

Protests erupt against ‘rigging’ outside Sindh Assembly

After the oath-taking ceremony schedule for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker will be announced.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) MPA Syed Waseem said his party nominated Sofia Saeed for the speaker’s slot and Rashid Khan for deputy speaker. He said MQM-P wanted resolution of the province’s issues in coordination with other parties.

Meanwhile, Syed Awais Qadir Shah and Anthony Naveed would be PPP’s candidate for Sindh Assembly speaker and deputy speaker offices, respectively.

PPP’s CM nominee Murad Ali Shah said he had already told how many seats they would get. They secured victory on more seats than expected, he said.

Shah said Pakistan faced copious issues which would be resolved in collaboration with other parties.