PESHAWAR, June 22: Except Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the treasury and opposition benches in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday welcomed the election of Raja Pervez Ashraf as new prime minister of Pakistan.

The house suspended debate on cut motions for the supplementary budget 2011-12 on Friday when through a point of order Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain informed Speaker Kiramatullah Chagharmatti of the election of new prime minister.

Mr Hussain congratulated Mr Ashraf on his election as PM and said that it was the joint responsibility of democratic forces to foil conspiracies against democratic system in the country. He said that political parties should work for strengthening democratic institutions.

Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour said that Mr Ashraf would work for the supremacy of parliament. Health Minister Zahir Ali Shah and PML-Q member Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai termed the election of Mr Ashraf victory of democracy.

They urged the opposition parties to support the new prime minister and wait till next general elections. They said that people would elect their representatives in the next elections on basis of their performance.

BUDGET DISCUSSION: The lawmakers started discussion on supplementary budget and approved 22 demands for grants for various departments after opposition members withdrew their cut motions. The house approved Rs20.98 million supplementary grants for the provincial assembly for the outgoing financial year.

The house also approved Rs60.90 million for the establishment department, Rs90.45 million for home and tribal affairs department, Rs130.6 million for prison department, and Rs3.43 billion for police department. The opposition members urged the government to bring fiscal discipline to avoid presenting supplementary budget.

CLASH: Earlier, PML-Q member Nighat Orakzai clashed with PML-N lawmakers over the derogatory remarks used by member of Punjab Assembly Mr Alauddin against female legislators.

Ms Orakzai used harsh language against PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, while demanding suspension of membership of the PML-N MPA.

Her remarks offended the PML-N members, who asked the chair to expunge non-parliamentary remarks from the record.

They also said that Ms Orakzai should tender an unconditional apology, which she refused. The information minister supported the PML-N members and requested the chair to remove derogatory words from the record.

Speaker Chagharmatti ordered to remove the non-parliamentary words used by Ms Orakzai and urged the lawmakers to exercise restraint.