PTI announces to contest for NA speaker slot

Party's vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi says Shafqat Mehmood will contest the election

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Thursday party's MNA Shafqat Mahmood will contest for the seat of speaker National Assembly.

"We have unanimously decided to field our MNA from Lahore, Shafqat Mahmood and he will file his nomination papers when a schedule is announced by the election commission," PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said while speaking to media.



Qureshi said the party had decided to contest the election to maintain democratic traditions in the country.

Following the party’s poor performance in local government elections in Punjab, Mahmood announced resignation as PTI's Lahore Organiser on Sunday.

After a gap of almost four months, the National Assembly will meet on Friday for a new session, during which speaker of the House will also be elected.

The ruling PML-N has not officially announced the name of its candidate for the coveted slot but it is widely believed that former speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who was re-elected on October 11 from NA-122, will be the party’s contestant.

Commenting on the recently-held local government elections, Qureshi said law was completely violated during the polls.



Earlier on Monday, PTI accused the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of electoral rigging during the local government elections in Punjab.

“Polling staff was working for PML-N workers while police colluded against PTI activists,” PTI leader Ejaz Chaudhry said while addressing a press conference in Lahore.