ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Newly-elected Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) on Thursday took oath in the inaugural session amid sloganeering by irate opposition members.
Earlier, the MNAs-elect reached the Parliament House to be sworn in amidst an air of anticipation. The inaugural session of the National Assembly began after a delay of more than one hour.
Senior leaders of various political parties congregated for the commencement of the 16th session of the National Assembly.
The oath-taking ceremony, scheduled for 10am, was delayed. National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf administered the oath to the MNAs.
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Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwarts Nawaz Sharif and prime minister nominee Shehbaz Sharif reached the assembly. Notable PML-N figures including Khawaja Asif, Attaullah Tarar and Ayaz Sadiq were also in attendance at the Parliament House.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was equally prepared, with prime minister nominee Omar Ayub, Barrister Gohar, Latif Khosa and Sher Afzal Marwat all set to assume their roles. They announced plans for a peaceful protest against alleged rigging in the polls results.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and presidential nominee Asif Ali Zardari, along with other party leaders, are ready to navigate the power corridors.
Similarly, Sunni Ittehad Council's senior office-bearers gathered in the Assembly Hall. The PTI and the SIC candidates held posters of the PTI founder and chanted slogans against rigging.
Senators resign to take oath
PML-N senator Nuzhat Sadiq has taken oath as an MNA and resigned from her senator position. Meanwhile, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri of Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI) also resigned as senator and took oath as MNA. PPP's Yusuf Raza Gilani also became an MNA after quitting his seat in Senate.
Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani accepted the resignations of the senators and issued notifications.
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Section 144
The federal government imposed Section 144 in Islamabad to ensure security. The National Assembly remained under close surveillance through the Safe City initiative. Only individuals with valid invitation cards were permitted to enter the Parliament House.
The administration rescinded invitations for some members and no protests were allowed. The Islamabad police said strict action would be taken against anyone involved in any illegal activity.
The Red Zone, under the purview of the SSP Operations, was closely monitored during this significant event.
Party Rankings
The National Assembly comprises 366 seats, including 60 reserved for women and 10 for minorities. The seat count has been adjusted following the merger of FATA.
As per the ECP, the PML-N has secured 108 seats, making it the leading party in the National Assembly. The SIC stands as the second major party with 81 seats, including independent candidates supported by the PTI, whereas the PPP holds the third position with 68 seats.
Speaker, Deputy Speaker
Parties have nominated candidates for the positions of speaker and deputy speaker, and the elections for these roles will take place on Friday. The PML-N has put forward Ayaz Sadiq as its candidate for the National Assembly speaker, while Awais Leghari has been nominated for the deputy speaker slot.
The PTI has nominated Amir Dogar for speaker and Junaid Akbar for deputy speaker.
Prime Minister
After the appointment of the speaker and deputy speaker, voting for the prime minister will be held, requiring 169 votes for victory. The PML-N has chosen Shehbaz Sharif and the PTI has nominated Omar Ayub for the position of prime minister.