March 30, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

PESHAWAR, March 29: NWFP Assembly Speaker Karamatullah Khan Chagharmati and his deputy Kushdil Khan, who were elected unopposed, were sworn in here on Saturday.

Briefing the house, presiding officer Arbab Ayub Jan said none of the members had filed nomination papers against the speaker and deputy speaker within the specified time on Friday, so both of them got elected unopposed.

After taking oath, Mr Chagharmati conducted the house proceedings.

On this occasion, he thanked fellow members on their unconditional support to him and the deputy speaker. From today onward, he said, he would remain impartial being custodian of the august house.

He said it was a pleasant beginning that no lawmaker opposed him and the deputy speaker.

“I assure all of you that I will not make any difference between the members sitting either side of the house. All of you are equal and respectable for me. I will try my best to facilitate you in highlighting problems of your constituencies on the floor of the house.

This day dawned upon us because of the supreme sacrifice made by slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, who fought relentlessly for restoration of democracy in this country. She deserves to be remembered on the floor of this house,” Mr Chagharmati said. He assured women and minority lawmakers that they would be provided with equal opportunities on the floor.

Earlier, congratulating Mr Chagharmati and Khusdil Khan on their election, Awami National Party parliamentary leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour said the NWFP needed a consensus among all parties to get rid of growing violence in the province. He spoke on chronic issues confronting the people and the government of the province.

Endorsing the views of Mr Bilour, PPP parliamentary leader Rahimdad Khan said the peaceful process of negotiations among hostile parties was the best way to solve political issues. He said it was the duty of coalition partners to pay heed to people’s problems.

He said the issues could be resolved by winning the hearts and minds of people, and not through using coercive measures against them.

Praising the efforts of ‘like-minded’ politicians, Abdul Akbar Khan of the PPP said the political leadership at the centre had demonstrated maturity in sorting out delicate issues. He said these politicians were aware of the fact that infightings in their ranks had caused irreparable losses to democracy and the country in the past.

“The legislature is the main organ of the state. The judiciary and the administration both derive their power from the legislature. We have to ensure that this elected house, which reflects the will of our people, is supreme. And Mr speaker, you are the head of this legislature,” he said.

Former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani said it was the beauty of Pakhtun traditions that all parliamentary groups had got speaker and deputy speaker elected unopposed. He said:

“The beauty also lies in the tolerance and maturity demonstrated by political parties sitting on opposition benches.” He said there were miles ahead for the coalition to cover with the support of opposition. He said his party MPs would sit on the opposition benches.

Qalandar Khan Lodhi and Nighat Orakzai of the PML-Q, Pervez Khan Khattak and Sikandar Hayat Sherpao of the PPP-S, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Saqibullah Chamkani, Waqar Ahmed Khan, Shagufta and Khushdil Khan of the ANP, Dr Faeza Rasheed, Shazia Tehmash and Prince Javed of the PPP, Pir Sabir Shah, Shazia Aurangzeb Khan of the PML-N and Habibur Rehman Tanoli, Syed Qalb-i-Hasan and Syed Mureed Kazim of the independent group also spoke on the occasion and congratulated the speaker and the deputy speaker on their unopposed election. Later, the speaker prorogued the session for an indefinite period.