The newly elected members of the Balochistan Assembly are expected to take an oath during the assembly’s inaugural session on Wednesday, Dawn reported. Tight security measures have been enforced by the district administration within and around the assembly premises.
Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the president of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), gave up his Wadh provincial assembly seat to keep Khuzdar’s NA seat. Mengal was elected to both national and provincial assembly seats.
In the first session of the assembly, a rally is planned by the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party and a political alliance headed by Mohsin Dawar, Dawn reported.
The Balochistan Assembly secretariat has released the agenda, which states that during the assembly session, members from different parties will be sworn in.
Dawn also reports that Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, the Speaker, will not be present because of illness and other obligations. Senior assembly member Zamrak Khan Piralizai will chair the meeting and give the new members the oath of office.
According to the report, which cited sources, 61 of the 65 lawmakers will take the oath of office on Wednesday. The results for the three victorious candidates from the Nasirabad (PB-14), Hub-Lasbela (PB-21), and Ziarat-Harnai (PB-7) constituencies have not yet been formally announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
The ECP has ordered recounts in PB-14, Nasirabad, and PB-21, Hub-Lasbela. On February 29, nine polling stations in PB-9, Ziarat Harnai, are set for re-polling.
Another development was the resignations of Prince Agha Omer and Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti of the Pakistan People’s Party from the Senate, which they sent to the Senate chairman. It is anticipated that they will be sworn in as Balochistan Assembly members.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, the assembly will announce the schedule for the election of the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
The PPP and PML-N have not yet chosen their final nominees for speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.
The decision to forbid guests from attending the inaugural meeting of the Balochistan Assembly on February 28 was made due to security concerns.
A complete ban on the issuance of visitor’s cards for the session was declared by the Balochistan Assembly in an official notification, citing concerns about law and order, unfavorable weather, and anticipated protests in the province.
The notification emphasized how crucial it is to maintain a seamless election process and how newly elected members must cooperate.
