NWFP Assembly takes oath, elects Speaker, Dy speaker
Bureau Report

PESHAWAR—As many as 116 members of the 15th NWFP Assembly were Friday sworn in under the 1973 Constitution at the inaugural session of the Provincial Assembly that was presided over by senior MPA elect Arbab Ayub Jan.The house unanimously passed a resolution demanding of the government to conduct inquiry into the murder of Benazir Bhutto by the United Nations. Abdul Akbar Khan of PPP moved the resolution. It also paid great homage and tributes to the leadership of the former Chairperson of PPP who sacrificed her life for the supremacy of parliament, judiciary and media.
The oath was administered in three languages Urdu, English and Pushto. At the outset of the proceedings, Israrullah Khan Gandapur sought attention of the chair about the oath and asked whether we are taking oath under the PCO or the 1973 Constitution. The Speaker ruled that the oath is being administered under Article 65 of the Constitution read with article rules number 6. The Governor has summoned the session under article 109 of the Constitution. However the mover was adamant on his point of order while referring to the text of the oath.
Anwar Saifullah Khan MPA elect from two constituencies from Lakki Marwat was the lone absentee from the oath taking. The NWFP Assembly is consisted of 99 general seats, 22 women reserved seats and three minorities. After recitation from Holy Quran, Attiqur Rehman from Hangu and Qalbe Hassan from Kohat drew attention of the hose towards ongoing unrest in their districts where according to them curfew has been imposed following bloody clashes between the Katchai and Mishti tribes. To protest their grievances, both the MPAs said that they are not taking oath today as a protest and walked out of the assembly Hall. However, the chair directed Bashir Ahmed Bilour, Pervez Khattak and Rahimdad Khan to bring back the MPAs in the house. After some they ended their boycott and took oath of their office. Since no member of the house filed papers for contesting the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, therefore the nominees of PPPP Karamatullah Khan Chagarmatti and ANP’s Khushdil Khan were elected unopposed against these coveted posts.
Hafiz Akhtar Ali of MMA offered dua for the slain leader of PPP Benazir Bhutto and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest her soul in eternal peace. The house also prayed for eternal peace of assassinated MPA late Pir Muhammad Khan who died in a bomb blast at the residence of Amir Muqam, PML (Q) candidate Asfandyar Amir Zeb who died in blast at Swat during electioneering, Alhaj Ayaz Khan Malang died of cardiac arrest and Farid Khan who died from his own pistol while cleaning it.