KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Agha Siraj Durrani was sworn in as speaker of 16th Sindh Assembly whereas Shehla Raza took oath as the deputy speaker on Thursday which began its session in Karachi.

Outgoing speaker of Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khoro administered oath to the new speaker.

Shehlaza Raza was sworn in as deputy speaker by the newly elected Speker of Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani.

Earlier during the day, there was a delay in the election for the post of deputy speaker dues to a technical glitch in the printing of the ballot papers.

Elections for the positions of speaker and deputy speaker of the provincial assembly were held through secret ballot.

Durrani secured 87 votes during the election of speaker Sindh Assembly and took his oath in Sindhi language.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which secured majority of the seats in the provincial assembly in the May 11 polls, had fielded Agha Siraj Durrani for the post of speaker and Shehla Raza for deputy speaker.

In an overnight decision to sit on the opposition benches in Sindh, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) nominated Khawaja Izharul Hussain for the position of speaker and Nusrat Abbasi for deputy speaker.

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N), which emerged victorious in the May 11 polls at the centre, suggested Irfanullah Marwat’s name for speaker and Nusrat Saher representing Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F) as deputy speaker. Despite gaining in centre, the PML-N is well short of the required majority in the Sindh Assembly.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) refrained from fielding or supporting any candidates in today’s secret ballot.