Chaudhry Tariq Farooq is elected speaker, Ahmed Raza Qadri deputy speaker, after both candidates secure 32 votes each
PML-N’s Tariq Farooq, Speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, and Ahmed Raza Qadri, deputy speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, pictured from left to right. — FILE PHOTO/RADIO PAKISTAN
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday secured both top parliamentary offices in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA), with Chaudhry Tariq Farooq elected speaker and Ahmed Raza Qadri deputy speaker.
The AJK elections were held in three phases between July 27 and August 10. Of the 45 directly contested constituencies, polling was held in 38, with the PML-N securing 25 seats and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) winning 12. The lone MLA of the Awami Dast-o-Bazu party joined hands with the PML-N.
Both PML-N candidates secured 32 votes each in the 53-member assembly and subsequently took the oath of their respective offices.
For the speaker’s election, the PML-N fielded the party’s secretary general, Chaudhry Tariq Farooq, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) nominated Qasim Majeed. A total of 46 lawmakers cast their votes during the polling conducted by the Assembly Secretary Amjad Abbasi under the supervision of outgoing speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar.
Farooq secured 32 votes against 13 votes polled for the PPP candidate Qasim Majeed, while one vote was declared invalid.
Read: PML-N takes command as AJK Assembly sworn in
Following his election, Farooq took the oath as speaker, with outgoing speaker Latif Akbar administering the oath. Akbar then handed over charge of the Assembly to the newly elected speaker before leaving the assembly.
The newly elected speaker subsequently presided over the election for deputy speaker. The PML-N nominated Ahmed Raza Qadri, while the PPP fielded Amir Abdul Ghaffar Lone.
Again, 46 members cast their votes, with Qadri securing 32 votes to win the election and the PPP’s Lone getting 13 votes, while one vote was declared invalid.
Read More: PML-N dominates new AJK Assembly as 46 lawmakers take oath
Farooq administered the oath of office to the newly elected deputy speaker.
After the oath-taking ceremony, members congratulated the newly elected speaker and deputy speaker and expressed their best wishes for their tenure.
PML-N AJK President Shah Ghulam Qadir also congratulated Farooq and Qadri on their election to the two key parliamentary offices.
