PPP withdraws from NA speaker, deputy speaker race

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has withdrawn its nominations for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker in the National Assembly after talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Geo News reported on Monday.

PPP had nominated Nawab Yousaf Talpur as a candidate for the office of Speaker and Ghulam Rasool Koreja for the office of Deputy Speaker National Assembly.

After the withdrawal of PPP from the race, PML-N, Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) are left to contest for the coveted positions.

As the opposition stood divided and pitched their separate candidates, both for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker, the PML-N candidates Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Murtaza Javed Abbasi will enjoy easy sailing in the race and make their way to clinch the top constitutional posts of speaker and deputy speaker on the basis of their party’s clear majority in the House.

PML-N candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq won the National Assembly seat from NA-122 Lahore while Murtaza Javed Abbasi was victorius from NA-18 Abbottabad. The nomination papers of Shehryar Afridi of PTI for the Speaker have been also been accepted by the Secretary National Assembly.

Talking to media‚ PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said if elected as speaker he will maintain impartiality while running the business of house.

Meanwhile MQM has also joined the race by filing the papers of S A Iqbal Qadri and Kishwar Zehra respectively for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker.

The process to elect the speaker will take place today after which Dr Fehmida Mirza will take oath of office from the new speaker. After the transfer of authority to the newly elected speaker, election of deputy speaker will take place and following it the speaker will take oath of office from the elected deputy speaker.

Both the elections will be held through secret ballot.