Speaker, deputy speaker NWFP PA take oath, elected unopposed

Karamatullah Khan Chagarmatti and Khushdil Khan Advocate on Saturday took oath as speaker and deputy speaker of the 15th NWFP Assembly which met here with Arbab Ayub Jan in the chair.Presiding officer Arbab Ayub Jan administered oath to the newly elected Speaker.The Speaker Karamutullah Khan Chagramatti administered oath to his Deputy Khushdil Khan Advocate.Coalition partners PPP and ANP had nominated Chagramatti and Khusdil for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker. Opposition parties PPP-S, PML-Q and JUI-F have not fielded candidates for contesting elections against these posts. After the oath taking ceremony and welcome addresses by the parliamentary heads of the parties and scores of legislators, the speaker prorogued the session for indefinite period.The governor has also summoned the session of the assembly on Monday (March 31) for election of the Leader of the House. Ameer Haider Khan Hoti of a joint candidate of ANP, PPPP is likely to be elected unopposed as the opposition parties have decided not to field their candidate against the coalition partners. The oath taking ceremony of the chief minister according to the program will be held on April 1 at Governor House.Chagarmatti is the third speaker after Abdul Akbar Khan and late Hidayatullah Khan Chamkani elected unopposed as custodian of the house. Parliamentary Leader of ANP Bashir Ahmed Bilour was the first to congratulate Chagarmatti over assuming the office of Speaker and thanked the opposition parties for supporting the candidate of coalition partners.Bilour said, the province was faced with tremendous problems like law and order, price hike, unemployment etc. He said that the NWFP was rich in God gifted resources and its proper utilization could ensure resolution of all the problems. He said, the new NWFP Government would take the opposition along in resolving the core issues. Development of hydel resources, he said would be given top priority. He expressed the confidence that the new house would live up to the expectation of the masses.Parliamentary leader of PML-Q Qalandar Lodhi while felicitating the new speaker over assuming the office said, the opposition parties as a matter of goodwill gestures not fielded their candidates for the election of speaker, deputy speaker and chief minister. He said the coalition partners held jirgas with the opposition parties for seeking their support and we appreciate their positive attitude.The province is facing lot of problems therefore, the opposition in order to strengthen hands of the government did not field their candidates. The new Speaker would maintain his impartial status as custodian of the house, he added.