QUETTA: The first session of the new Balochistan Assembly will be held on Wednesday at 3pm for the oath-taking of newly-elected members and the district administration has made special security arrangements in and around the assembly building for the purpose.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who was elected on the national and provincial assembly seats, has left the provincial assembly seat from Wadh and he will retain the NA seat from Khuzdar.

Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party and the political alliance headed by Mohsin Dawar have announced plans to hold rally during the first session of the Balochistan Assembly.

According to the agenda issued by the Balochistan Assembly secretariat, newly-elected members of different parties will take oath of their office during the assembly session.

Mengal quits PA seat to retain NA seat; two senators tender resignations

Assembly officials said that the speaker, Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, will not attend the meeting due to his illness and other engagements and in his absence, a senior member of the assembly, Zamrak Khan Piralizai, will preside over the session and administer oath to the newly-elected members.

Sources said, 61 lawmakers in the 65-member house will take oath during the session on Wednesday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has not issued official notification of the results of three candidates who returned successful from Nasirabad (PB-14), Hub-Lasbela (PB-21), and Ziarat-Harnai (PB-7) constituencies.

The ECP has ordered re-counting of votes in PB-14, Nasirabad, and PB-21, Hub-Lasbela, while re-polling will be held in nine polling stations of PB-9, Ziarat Harnai, on February 29.

Two senators send resignations

Meanwhile, Mir Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti of Pakistan Peoples Party and Prince Agha Omer resigned from the Senate and sent their resignations to the Senate chairman on Tuesday.

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They will take oath as members of the Balochistan Assembly.

The election of the new speaker and deputy speaker will be held later for which the assembly will announce the schedule after the oath-taking ceremony.

The PML-N and PPP have not finalised their candidates for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker of the provincial assembly.

Meanwhile, the assembly officials have decided not to allow guests in the first session of the Balochistan Assembly due to security reasons on Feb 28.

A notification issued by Balochistan Assembly said that due to the law and order, adverse weather conditions and expected protests in the province, a complete ban has been imposed on issuing all types of visitors’ cards for the session of the Balochistan Assembly on Feb 28.

The step has been taken to ensure that the oath-taking of the newly-elected members of the provincial assembly and election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker is held without any problem and any kind of disturbance does not take place during the election process, the notification said.

“It is hoped that the newly-elected members of the provincial assembly will cooperate fully with the police and security staff of the Balochistan Assembly in this regard,” the notification said.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2024