Babar Salim Swati, the candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — the home of PTI-backed independents who won seats in the Feb 8 polls — has been elected the new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly speaker.

Swati secured 89 votes while PPP’s Ehsanullah Miankhel secured 17 votes. Outgoing Speaker Mushtaq Ghani administered the oath to Swati.

Swati is the PTI’s divisional president in Hazara and is the MPA-elect from PK-37.