RAWALPINDI: Mr Abdul Jabbar was inducted into office of Speaker of the National Assembly at a brief and impressive ceremony today [June 12]. The outgoing Speaker Fazlul Quader Chowdhury administered the oath. Television, cine movie and still cameras clicked to dazzling lights as Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury administered the oath to his successor. Oath over, the outgoing Speaker stepped down from the red carpeted dais and Mr Abdul Jabbar took the chair. Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury as a Member of the National Assembly moved to a seat at the rearmost bench in the centre of the House. The Speaker’s induction into the second highest office in the land was followed by customary felicitations by over two dozen members of the House.

The second National Assembly elected under the 1962 Constitution formally met at 8 a.m. in Ayub Hall. After recitation from the Holy Quran the outgoing Speaker, Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury read out a message of sympathy and condolence from the Speaker of the UAR National Assembly for the Cairo jet crash and East Pakistan cyclone victims.

[Meanwhile], in his parting message to the National Assembly Members Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury said: “Our achievements would be judged more by posterity than the present generation.” Before administering oath to Mr Jabbar Khan as the Speaker, Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury in a brief address to members reminded them of their responsibility towards the nation and the country. He said that he felt happy in relinquishing the chair which carried very heavy responsibilities as he would now be joining members of the House as a field worker. Mr Fazlul Quader Chowdhury thanked President Ayub for his co-operation which, he said, enabled him greatly [in] discharging his duties.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2015

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