ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly of Pakistan on Saturday elected former prime minister of Pakistan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, as its new speaker.
Ashraf, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker, was elected prime minister of the country in June 2012. He succeeded the PPP’s Yousaf Raza Gillani, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court, on contempt-of-court charges.
Pakistan’s National Assembly has been without a speaker since Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser resigned from the post, minutes before a no-confidence vote against former prime minister Imran Khan on April 10.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq, a former speaker himself, administered oath to Ashraf. The PPP leader was elected unopposed.
Ashraf delivered a short speech after taking the oath, promising never to drown out the opposition’s voice.
“I consider it my duty to not to let the voice of the opposition get suppressed,” he said.
"There is a saying in English that the majority has its way but the opposition must have its say. We have to always keep this in mind."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the newly elected speaker after he was sworn in.
"You are an eminent parliamentarian and have also served as the prime minister," he said.
