Suri may chair NA session today

NA secretariat says Suri did not resign as deputy speaker

ISLAMABAD:

The National Assembly Secretariat clarified on Sunday that Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri had not resigned from his office and that he would chair the Nation Assembly session on Monday, which would elect the country’s new prime minister.

On Saturday night, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar resigned from his post in the middle of the assembly session. After announcing his resignation, the speaker gave the chair to Sardar Ayaz Sadiq from the panel of chairpersons to continue the proceedings on the no-confidence motion.

“Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri didn’t resign and he will chair the National Assembly session on Monday (today), the Assembly Secretariat said in a statement. “Acting Speaker Suri today visited the National Assembly Secretariat,” it added.

However, in a late night statement, the secretariat said that it was not clear if he would chair the session as “he is also facing a no-confidence motion”.

(With input from DNA)