37 members of AJK LA sworn in PML-N’s Qadir, Farooq elected speaker, deputy

By our correspondents

July 31, 2016

MUZAFFARABAD: PML-N candidates Shah Ghulam Qadir and Farooq Tahir elected speaker and deputy speaker of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Saturday.

The newly-elected AJK Assembly met under chairmanship of outgoing speaker Ghulam Sadiq Khan and elected speaker and deputy speaker after taking oath as member, except one member Khalid Ibrahim.

PML-N’s candidate for speaker ship Shah Ghulam secured 39 votes out of 40 votes polled while Muslim Conference candidate Malik Nawaz and PPP candidate Aamar Ghafar Lone obtained three and four votes, respectively, while two votes were rejected.

The ruling PML-N candidates Farooq Tahir won the position of deputy speaker by securing 39 votes as well while his rivals Muslim Conference’s Sagheer Chughtai got five votes and PPP’s candidate Shazia Akbar secured four votes. The AJK Legislative Assembly will elect leader of the house Sunday (tomorrow) at 10am for which PML-N has already nominated Raja Farooq Haider.

Meanwhile, newly elected members, including 32 from PML-N, 3 each from PPP and Muslim Conference and 2 from PTI, have taken oath. Khalid Ibrahim, president Jammu Kashmir PPP, excused to be administered oath by speaker Ghulam Sadiq.

Journalist community voiced strong protest over being prevented by PML-N from entering AJK Legislative Assembly at oath-taking ceremony of ministers of newly-elected PML-N-led government. Only PTV was allowed for undertaking coverage of ceremony.

The journalists announced to boycott the assembly session completely. Journalists’ organization media watch Jammu and Kashmir international while denouncing such steps by PML-N said the party has proved that it can stop media from doing its job. No one will be allowed to ambush on freedom of expression.

The organization demanded that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Information Minister Pervez Rashid to take immediate notice of banning journalists’ entry into assembly, otherwise the journalists will stage protest all over AJK.