The NWFP Assembly on Monday created history when it elected its leader of the house unopposed. Amir Haider Khan Hoti was the joint candidate of the coalition partners, comprising Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Peoples Arty (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (N) for the slot, who filed five nominations.
After the scrutiny all five nominations were accepted. However, formal announcement would be made by NWFP Assembly Speaker Kiramatullah Khan on Tuesday. Earlier, the chair announced the schedule for the election of the leader of the house in an especially convened session of the assembly. The nominations were invited till 1:00 pm Monday.
The coalition partners filed five nomination papers on behalf of their nominee Amir Haider Khan Hoti. After the formal announcement of the election of the leader of the house, the newly elected Chief Minister will take oath of his office at the Governor's House. Governor Owais Ahmad Ghani would administer the oath.
Hoti would be the 19th and the youngest chief minister of the province since the creation of Pakistan. Furthermore, he would be the first chief minister of the nationalist political force in the province.
Amongst the 18 chief ministers, Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan, the second chief minister after the creation of Pakistan, remained in the office for the longest period of five years and eight months followed by Akram Khan Durrani of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), who has also completed his constitutional stint of five years.
Hoti was born in Mardan in 1971 and has achieved his basic education in the same city and later on studied at Achison College, Lahore, and Edwards College. He started his political career from the platform of ANP and served the party on different positions.
In October 2002, he contested first election of his political career but was defeated by a narrow margin. The provincial cabinet, comprising 21 members, is likely to take oath on April 2. According to a power sharing formula, reached between coalition partners, the ANP and PPP would have 12 and 9 ministers respectively. The ANP has already announced the names and portfolios of their ministers, while PPP has made no official decision over the matter.