Sindh MPAs take oath

Elected members of the 14th Sindh Assembly took oath on Wednesday during the first session conveyed after the May 11 general election.

Sindh Assembly’s outgoing speaker Nisar Khuhro administered the oath to the newly-elected members.

158 members of the Sindh Assembly took oath in three different languages and subsequently signed the roll.

The session was adjourned until 9:00 am tomorrow.

In the session, 120 MPAs-elect were due to take oath to represent the people of their respective constituencies in the house for the next five years.

Of the 130 general seats, elections were held in 128 constituencies. However, results of 120 lawmakers have been notified and they will take the oath in the maiden session.

The results of the remaining eight MPAs-elect have been withheld either for re-polling or by the high court.

According to official figures, the Pakistan Peoples Party has 66 members, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement 35, the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz nine, the Pakistan Muslim League – Functional seven and the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf has three members.

There are 61 new faces in the house.

Saniya Baloch and Perveen Aziz Junejo of the PPP are the only two women to get elected from as many general seats.

Of the 61 new MPAs, 31 are from the PPP, 20 from the MQM, four belong to the PML-F and three are associated with the PTI.

There are total 38 reserved seats that include 29 for women and nine for minorities. The total strength of the Sindh Assembly is 168.

According to the order of the day, after administering the oath to the assembly members, the nomination forms for contesting the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker can be collected from the office of the acting secretary of the assembly.

The forms will be received by the secretary on the same day until 4pm in his office and after scrutiny a list of valid candidates will be displayed at 6pm on the assembly notice board.

Election for the posts of the speaker and the deputy speaker will be held on Thursday.