Speaker, Deputy Speaker NWFP PA take oath, elected unopposed

ASSOCIATED PRESS SERVICE

PESHAWAR : Karamatullah Khan Chagarmatti and Khushdil Khan Advocate Saturday took oath as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 15th NWFP Assembly which met here with Arbab Ayub Jan in the chair. Presiding officer Arbab Ayub Jan administered oath to the newly elected Speaker. The Speaker Karamutullah Khan Chagramatti administered oath to his Deputy Khushdil Khan Advocate.
Coalition partners PPP and ANP had nominated Chagramatti and Khusdil for the slots of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Opposition parties PPP (S), PML (Q) and JUI (F) have not fielded candidates for contesting elections against these posts.
After the oath taking ceremony and welcome addresses by the parliamentary heads of the parties and scores of legislators, the Speaker prorogued the session for indefinite period.
The Governor has also summoned the session of the assembly on Monday (March 31) for election of the Leader of the House. Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of a joint candidate of ANP, PPPP is likely to be elected unopposed as the opposition parties have decided not to field their candidate against the coalition partners.
The oath taking ceremony of the Chief Minister according to the program will be held on April 1 at Governor House.
Chagarmatti is the third speaker after Abdul Akbar Khan and late Hidayatullah Khan Chamkani elected unopposed as custodian of the house. Parliamentary Leader of ANP Bashir Ahmed Bilour was the first to congratulate Chagarmatti over assuming the office of Speaker and thanked the opposition parties for supporting the candidate of coalition partners.
Mr.Bilour said, the province was faced with tremendous problems like law and order, price hike, unemployment etc.
He said that the NWFP was rich in God gifted resources and its proper utilization could ensure resolution of all the problems.
He said, the new NWFP Government would take the opposition along in resolving the core issues. Development of hydel resources, he said would be given top priority. He expressed the confidence that the new house would live up to the expectation of the masses.
Parliamentary leader of PML (Q) Qalandar Lodhi while felicitating the new Speaker over assuming the office said, the opposition parties as a matter of goodwill gestures not fielded their candidates for the election of Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chief Minister.
He said the coalition partners held jirgas with the opposition parties for seeking their support and we appreciate their positive attitude.
The province is facing lot of problems therefore, the opposition in order to strengthen hands of the government did not field their candidates.
The new Speaker would maintain his impartial status as custodian of the house, he added.
Parliamentary leader of PML (N) and former Chief Minister Pir Sabir Shah said speaker is the custodian of the house and works above his party affiliation.
He said that Chagarmatti would keep intact his impartial role while running the assembly business. “Today this august house has written a new history to work collectively for the uplift of the province. The opposition parties, he said deserved appreciation for ensuring unopposed election of the speaker and deputy speaker.
Parliamentary leader of PPP Rahimdad Khan said the unopposed election of the Speaker has in-fact increased responsibilities of the new custodian of the house and he has to work in non-partisan manner.
Former Chief Minister and Parliamentary leader of JUI (F) Akram Khan Durrani claimed that during the last five years he tried to keep alive the golden traditions of this province and gave due status to the members of this house as leader of the house. He expressed the hope that new government would keep the opposition members close to their hearts and will not behave in a manner that create a sense of deprivation among them.
The opposition parties, he said, would not resort to opposition for the sake of opposition and instead play a constructive role in achieving the provincial rights from the center. The politics of confrontation has ruined the very fabric of the society, he said, adding we have to bury all this hatchet once for all.
The JUI (F), he said will be part of the coalition government in the center and will support the coalition government in the NWFP and has set certain priorities for extending help and assistance to the new government.
Provincial autonomy, payment of arrears of net hydel profit to the NWFP, ensuring freedom of judiciary, media, formation of independent election commission and promotion of democratic culture were the key priorities of JUI (F).
He said that his party would support the new coalition government over renaming of the province.
Pervez Khattak, Abduil Akbar Khan, Muhammad Zameen, Nighat Orakzai, Syeda Nasira Batool, Sikandar Sherpao, Shazia Tehmash, Shagufta Bibi, Malik Tehmash, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Shazia Aurangzeb, Faiza Rasheed, Waqar Khan, Nargis Sameen, Syed Qalbe Hassan, Murid Kazim, Zarqa Bibi, prince Javed, Khushdil Khan advocate, Habibur Rehman Tanoli, Noor Sehar, Dr.Yasmeen Nazli, Maulvi Obaidullah Khan and Atif Khan also felicitated the Speaker and Deputy Speaker over their unopposed elections.