QUETTA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Syed Matiullah Agha was elected unanimously as Speaker Balochistan Assembly Monday.
The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday had allowed for the election of the new Speaker of Balochistan Assembly during the hearing over a petition filed by former speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani against his removal through a no-confidence motion.Deputy Speaker of Balochistan Assembly Dr Fauzia Marri conducted the assembly session. Agha, who has served as deputy speaker, was elected Speaker unopposed. Later, Fozia Marri administered oath from Agha.The slot of speaker had fallen vacant on December 26 with the ousting of Aslam Bhootani through a unanimous no-trust resolution.
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam — two major coalition partners of the Balochistan government — were in the race for the speakership of the assembly.The PML-Q, to which Bhootani belonged, is the largest coalition partner with 19 members in the assembly followed by the Pakistan People’s Party with 15 members.The party wanted to retain the speakership. The JUI-F wanted to see its deputy speaker, Syed Matiullah Agha, elected for the coveted post.
Later, speaking to media Chief Minster Balochistan, Aslam Raisani said that the election for choosing speaker was not insult of the court.He said that the assembly would conduct re-election if the court will give stay order against the speaker polls.Raisani said they are faithful with democracy added that the rest of democratic institutes should learn lesson from Balochistan Assembly.Earlier The Balochistan High Court (BHC) on Monday had allowed for the election of the new Speaker of Balochistan Assembly during the hearing over a petition filed by former speaker Mohammad Aslam Bhootani against his removal through a no-confidence motion.
A two-member bench of the BHC comprising of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel and Justice Noor Muhammad resumed the hearing over a petition filed by the former speaker against his removal.Former governor Punjab, Advocate Latif Khosa, representing Deputy Speaker Balochistan Assembly Matiullah Agha, told the court that the Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court was abroad and since there was no acting chief justice, the hearing could not take place.
The court rejected the objection raised by Advocate Khosa.During the hearing, Bhootani’s counsels, Advocate Hadi Shakeel and Advocate Baz Mohammad Kakar, presented their arguments in the court.In his remarks, Justice Mandokhel said that while the hearing on Bhootani’s petition filed against his removal continues, no new speaker should be elected in the Balochistan Assembly.
Advocate General Balochistan, Amanullah Kinrani, told the court that it could not interfere in constitutional affairs, adding that any decision made by the court before the completion of the election process for the assembly speaker would be followed.The court allowed for the election of Speaker Balochistan Assembly after listening to the advocate general’s arguments. – Onlinenenws
