The 14th Punjab Assembly on Friday elected unopposed Rana Muhammad Iqbal as its Speaker and Rana Mushood Ahmad as Deputy Speaker. Speaker Muhammad Afzal Sahi administered oath to newly elected Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal, who later administered the oath to Deputy Speaker Rana Mushood Ahmad.
Speaking after the oath taking, Sahi said Rana Muhammad Iqbal was fully capable to handle the assembly proceedings. Earlier, two MPAs of Forward Group of PML-Q, Najaf Sial and Muhammad Arshad Jutt, withdrew their candidatures for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker, paving the way for the PML-N candidates to be elected unopposed.
The PML-Q, protesting against manhandling of former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim in Sindh Assembly, and later harsh treatment meted to former federal minister Dr Sher Afgan Niazi in Lahore, boycotted the election proceedings.
Meanwhile, newly elected Speaker vowed to request the ML-Q to end their boycott in the best interest of democracy. Speaker Iqbal, who is son of veteran late politician Rana Phool Mohammad, speaking on the occasion, vowed to take opposition along with them.
He averred that after completion of election process, standing committees of the assembly would start functioning. Deputy Speaker Rana Mushood Ahmad, in his address, stated that during last eight Years, authoritarian elements had tried their best to block entry of the popular leadership in the country. He said that conspiracies, staking place in the presidency, would be deterred and rule of law would prevail.
Meanwhile, Dost Muhammad Khosa, candidate for the slot of Punjab chief minister, submitted his nomination papers before Secretary of the Assembly. Earlier, three provincial legislators Waliyat Shah Khagga, Ata Manika and Moazzam Asid, took oath. Later, the house was adjourned to meet on Saturday to elect the new chief minister.