ISLAMABAD: The day marked a successful transition to the third parliament in a row when the newly-elected members of the National Assembly took oath as the lawmakers of 15th Assembly.
Outgoing Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq administered oath to them. Election for the speaker and deputy speaker as well as Leader of the House will also take place during the session.
Talking to media upon arrival for the oath taking, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the government will try to fulfill the promises made with the people during the campaign.
Senior PPP leader Naveed Qamar noted that current strength of opposition parties is the strongest in Pakistan’s history.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday announced distribution of seats reserved for women and minorities, raising the total number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seats in the National Assembly to 158.
Women who made it to NA mostly related to politicians
According to the ECP, nine out of 13 independent winning candidates joined the PTI, swelling the total number of PTI’s general seats to 125. Following the formula laid down in the Constitution, the PTI has now been allotted as many as 28 reserved women and five minority seats in the National Assembly.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is the second biggest party with 64 general seats. The party will get two minority seats and 16 women seats, taking its final tally to 82 seats in the 342-member house.
The Pakistan People’s Party was a distant third with 42 general seats. According to the ECP, the PPP now has a total of 53 seats after being allotted two seats reserved for minorities and nine reserved for women. Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MWM) will have 15 members in the house with 12 general seats, two women and a minority member.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan secured seven seats in the house with six general seats and one women seat. Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s seat share stands at five, with four general and one woman reserved seat.
Balochistan National Party has four seats, including three general seats and one woman seat. Awami League, Jamhoori Watan Party and Awami National Party have one seat each in the lower house of parliament.
The first session of the 15th National Assembly has been summoned for today, while the election for the new prime minister is expected to take place on August 17 (Friday).
The PTI, which swept the July 25 general elections by winning 116 general seats, requires a simple majority of votes from the number of lawmakers present in the House to elect the party chairman Imran Khan as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan.
AFP