PPP gets NA Speaker, Governor Punjab posts in new government

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party leaders Raja Parvez Ashraf and Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood are about to become the next National Assembly Speaker and Governor Punjab respectively.

The development regarding the NA Speaker position comes after Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led PPP had asked Shehbaz Sharif’s led coalition government during consultation for federal cabinet formation.

Raja Parvez Ashraf was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly unopposed. No other candidate had filed the no-nomination papers till the deadline of April 15 ended.

His name for the coveted position was suggested by Syed Khursheed Shah and endorsed by former finance minister Naveed Qamar.

The seat fell vacant after Speaker of National Assembly Asad Qaiser resigned minutes before voting on the no-confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan.

Moreover, the voting on the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri will be held in the National Assembly session on Saturday also.

As far as Punjab’s governorship is concerned, the coalition government has already informed Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood about his responsibilities.

It is pertinent to mention that Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood had previously served as Punjab’s governor from 2012-to 2013.

Interestingly, he had served in the same position under then-prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf back then.

Read more: PM Shehbaz says Imran Khan sold Toshakhana gifts worth Rs140m in Dubai