Prior to this, only a small number of newly elected members managed to reach the Parliament House amidst intermittent rain in Islamabad.
The election for the two offices of the Lower House would be held through a secret ballot, with incumbent Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf chairing the session.
For the speaker's slot, PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq, who has previously held the post, is up against the Sunni Ittehad Council's Malik Aamir Dogar. For the deputy speaker, the contest is between the PPP’s Ghulam Mustafa Shah and Sunni Ittehad Council’s Junaid Akbar.
Sunni Ittehad Council’s Aamir Dogar maintained that they were contesting the elections despite reservations and doubts. “The House is incomplete, yet we want the constitutional and democratic process to complete,” he added.
Despite the scheduled start time passing, the arrival of members continued at a slow pace, possibly hindered by the ongoing light downpour in the capital city. The reduced number of vehicles in the typically bustling Red Zone further underscored the impact of the weather on the day's proceedings.
Security measures in the Red Zone appeared somewhat relaxed compared to previous days, with a noticeable decrease in the usual rush of activity. However, as members trickled in, anticipation remains high for the crucial election process to begin.
The delay in the assembly's session highlights the challenges posed by inclement weather and logistical considerations, underscoring the importance of flexibility in parliamentary proceedings.
As the day progresses, all eyes remain on the Parliament House, awaiting the culmination of the election for the National Assembly's speaker and deputy speaker.
Istehkam-e-Pakistan President Abdul Aleem Khan, MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, PPP’s Naveed Qamar, PML-N’s Hanif Abbasi as well as Tahira Aurangzeb, Ijaz Jakhrani, Attaullah Tarar and Sharmila Faruqi are among the first few members to reach the assembly.
Some other newly minted MNAs to have reached the House include Nausheen Iftikhar, Sardar Yousuf, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Qaiser Sheikh, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Malik Abrar, Aun Chaudhry, Zeb Jaffar, Shaza Fatima, Farah Altaf and Bilal Kayani.
'Protest to continue'
Sunni Ittehad Council’s Latif Khosa has said that they will continue their protest in the assembly today also, adding that their demand from the first day has been to restore the public mandate.
“Despite reservations, we will not leave the field open for our opponents. They will not be allowed to be act arbitrarily and play with Pakistan's destiny,” Khosa asserted.
He further maintained that until it becomes a representative house, it will not have legal, constitutional, or moral status.
PML-N leader and candidate for the speaker’s slot, Ayaz Sadiq, told the media outside Parliament House that everybody is a brother and there is no enmity with anyone. Contesting elections against each other is the beauty of democracy, and it is the duty of every member to create a positive environment in the assembly.
“The parliament belongs to both the government and the opposition. It has never been easy to run an assembly’s affairs; it is a huge responsibility. A speaker has to sit with a lot of patience and order,” he remarked.
'No one better than Zardari'
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sharmila Farooqui said outside the Parliament House that there could be no better candidate than Asif Ali Zardari for the presidential election. She has also urged all parties to vote for the former president.
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