Khuhro to be sworn in as speaker, Shehla Raza as deputy speaker today

ISLAMABAD : Nisar Ahmad Khuhro and Shehla Raza of the Pakistan People’s Party who have been elected unopposed as speaker and deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly will be sworn in today (Monday).
Speaker Sindh Assembly Syed Muzaffar Husain Shah announced that no other candidate, except the PPP candidates Nisar Ahmad Khuhro and Shehla Raza, filed nomination papers. He said their nomination papers were valid and declared them as elected unopposed,private tv channel (Geo) reported.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)and other oppostion parties had decided after an understanding with the PPP, not to contest the election for the offices of speaker, deputy speaker and the chief minister.
It will not be out of place to mention that Nisar Khuhro is the second PPP leader elected unopposed as Speaker Sindh Assembly; earlier Syed Abdullah Shah was elected as speaker in the year 1988, when the PPP and the MQM had formed an alliance.
The PPP candidates Nisar Khuhro and Shehla Raza filed their nomination
papers with the Assembly Secretary Hadi Bux in the morning and no other candidate
filed nomination papers for these offices. Speaker Syed Muzaffar Husain Shah scrutinised the papers and found them valid.
The MQM had collected nomination papers on Saturday for both offices, but after negotiations with the PPP, it decided not to field its candidates. The MQM also decided not to contest the election of chief minister scheduled to be held on Monday.
Speaking after he was declared elected unopposed as speaker, Nisar Khuhro said he was thankful to his party and people for selecting him for this office. He said he would prove that the PPP was a democratic party and would set good democratic traditions.
He said the necessary steps would be taken to establish the rule of law, while the sanctity of the assembly would be maintained.
Shehla Raza, speaking after she was declared elected as deputy speaker,
said she would run the House according to rules . Shehla, who was a leader of the
students¡ wing of the PPP, said she was a worker of the party and felt honoured on her selection for the office of deputy speaker.