Bizenjo elected as Speaker of Balochistan Assembly

QUETTA: Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader Abdul Quddus Bizenjo was on Thursday elected as Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly.

The session was presided over by outgoing Speaker Raheela Durrani administered the oath to the newly elected speaker.

Bizenjo received 39 votes from the BAP and six other allied parties. His opponent Muhammad Nawaz Kakar of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) received 20 votes.

There are sixty members in the Balochistan Assembly. There were no rejected votes. Bizenjo resumed his responsibilities immediately after being sworn in.

The BAP commands a majority in the provincial assembly and had pitched former chief minister Bizenjo as speaker. The party has also nominated Jam Kamal as the next chief minister.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Babar Musakhel was elect as the Deputy Speaker. Musakhel was administered oath by Speaker Bizenjo.

Musakhel secured 36 votes while his opponent Ahmed Nawaz of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) attained 21 votes, whereas one vote was rejected in the election.

Speaking on the occasion, Raheela Durrani said that people believe that becoming speaker is an easy thing but it is a tough job. She said that she felt proud to have been elected as the first female speaker of Balochistan Assembly.

Addressing the members after taking oath, Bizenjo said that he was thankful to the parties who backed him in the election, and said he will run the business of the House impartially as everyone is equal for him

The newly sworn-in speaker urged members to uphold the traditions of Balochistan. He also paid a tribute to the outgoing speaker for running the House in an efficient way.

Bizenjo has served as the Chief Minister of Balochistan from January 13 to June 7, 2018. He was a member of the Balochistan Assembly from November 2002 to May 2018.

He has also served as Deputy Speaker of Balochistan Assembly from 2013 to 2015 and remained in minister in the provincial cabinet between 2002 and 2013.