Stage set for Imran’s oath as premier
Party men elected speaker and deputy speaker of National Assembly
Pakistan’s parliament yesterday elected an ally of Imran Khan as its speaker, paving the way for the former cricket star to become the next prime minister.
The 342-seat National Assembly — Pakistan’s decision-making, lower house of parliament — elected Asad Qaiser, a lawmaker from Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party, as parliament speaker.
Qaiser secured 176 votes, edging out Khurshid Shah, a joint opposition candidate who got 146 votes. Another Khan nominee, Qasim Suri, was elected deputy speaker.
The votes in parliament indicated that Khan’s party, which won the most seats in the July 25 election but fell short of an outright majority, has allied with enough independents to form a governing coalition.
The National Assembly is expected to elect Khan as prime minister tomorrow. His swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on Saturday.
Since the elections, opposition parties have held regular protests, refusing to accept the outcome of the vote and accusing the military and intelligence agencies of intervening on Khan’s behalf.
Shortly after Qaiser’s election, lawmakers from the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was removed from power and jailed on corruption allegations, chanted slogans against the elections oversight body.
“We say no to fake mandate,” they chanted.
Khan smiled and remained seated during the commotion. Qaiser delivered a brief speech in which he sought to pacify the opposition, saying he would treat all lawmakers fairly.
The votes in parliament indicated that Khan’s party has allied with enough independents to form a governing coalition.
I am thankful to the people of my province and my constituency for their confidence in me and will try my best to come up to their expectations. We shall take all the parties along”
Qasim Suri | Deputy Speaker
The Pakistan Tehreeke-Insaf (PTI), in a show of power, clinched both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker seats, with its nominees elected by a clear majority in the National Assembly yesterday.
The party’s former Speaker in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly and lawmaker from Swabi, Asad Qaiser, secured 176 votes against PPP’s candidate Syed Khurshid Shah for the speaker’s office. Shah bagged 146 votes. Eight votes were rejected.
Qaiser has been associated with PTI since 1996 and was the party’s provincial president earlier.
PTI lawmaker from Balochistan and a nominee for Deputy Speaker’s post, Qasim Suri, beat the opposition parties’ joint candidate Maulana Asad Mahmoud, son of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Suri bagged 183 votes out of the total 327, while Mahmood managed to secure 144 votes.
Outgoing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq administered the oath to Qaiser, who later administered oath to his deputy
Khan Suri.
Qaiser’s stint as KP Assembly Speaker has established his credentials for the National Assembly Speaker’s post but Suri’s ascent to the post of Deputy Speaker came as a surprise even for his own party members.
Loyal to Khan
However, the members welcomed his election as he belongs to Balochistan and PTI’s decision is taken as a good signal for the people of that underdeveloped province of Pakistan.
Suri won from NA-265 (Quetta II) by beating Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani in the July 25 general elections.
He received 25,973 votes against 20,389 votes of Raisani. In his media talk and interviews, Suri has shown promise and confidence to serve the people of the politically-neglected province.
With a Master’s degree in International Relations, the new Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly has been a loyal worker of PTI and its Chairman Imran Khan since 1996.
He organised the party in Balochistan and has served as provincial president of the party twice. He is also a member of the party’s core committee.
Suri was given party ticket for a National Assembly seat from Balochistan in the 2013 elections but he was defeated by Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
Suri is married and has three children. The son of an Urdu speaking mother, Suri is a Pakhtun and his ancestors belong to a sub-tribe of Khiljis.
Suri is said to be one of Khan’s close confidants and his selection for the important office of deputy speaker is attributed to his close ties with the party chief.
‘Strong opposition a must’
After his election as deputy speaker, Suri said he would carry forward the PTI agenda of progress, particularly for the people of Balochistan.
“I am thankful to the people of my province and my constituency for their confidence in me and will try my best to come up to their expectations,” he said.
“We shall take all the political parties along and people will see there will be no discrimination against any party.”
Suri said a strong opposition is a must for democratic accountability.