1st session of Pak’s newly-elected Parliament begins

The maiden session of Pakistan’s newly-elected Parliament began today with the outgoing speaker administering oath to 329 members as part of the process of transition and handing over powers to the new government.

Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the previous National Assembly, presided over the 15th Parliament’s session and administered oath to the new leaders in the 342-member lower house. The new members signed their presence in a register.

President Mamnoon Hussain had summoned the maiden session of the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, at 10 AM in parliament house today, 19 days after Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party emerged as the single largest in the general elections.

Prime Minister-in-waiting and PTI chairman Khan and other prominent leaders including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari were present in the assembly for the oath-taking. The speaker announced that elections of the new speaker and his deputy will be held on August 15.