MPAs-elect of Balochistan Assembly take oath of office

QUETTA: After Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assemblies, the newly-elected members of the Balochistan Assembly were also sworn in as members of the provincial legislature today.

Zamrak Khan Achakzai, who was appointed as the presiding officer for today's session, administered the oath of the 57 newly-elected lawmakers in the maiden session of the provincial legislative.

As the assembly convened, the authorities barred the entry of guests during the session in light of expected protests and the prevailing law and order situation in the province.

As many as 51 members among those who took oath today, included the elects from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and others.Later, the assembly session was adjourned till tomorrow 3pm.

The newly sworn-in assembly will vote for the election of the House's speaker and deputy speaker in tomorrow's session. Nomination papers of the candidates for the House's custodian and deputy custodian can be submitted to the assembly's secretariat by 12pm on Thursday.

With a divided provincial assembly, where no political party managed to secure a simple majority in the February 8 polls, the PPP and the PML-N might join hands to form government in the province as they already have agreed to form a coalition government in the Centre.

Balochistan Assembly's inaugural session took place on the same day newly-elected members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly took office.

On the other hand, members of Sindh and Punjab Assemblies have already taken the oath of office, followed by the election of speakers, deputy speakers and chief ministers.