Karachi (Web Desk): At least 148 newly elected members of the Sindh assembly took oath during a session of the house in Karachi on Saturday.
The session, which began with a delay amid high security, was chaired by speaker Sindh assembly Agha Siraj Ahmed Durani who administered oath to the members-elect.
At the beginning of the session, a documentary was also shown in the house to pay tribute to former premier Muhatarma Benazir Bhutto.
Four members did not take oath for different reasons including two senators who got elected on provincial seats.
The legislators will now elect the House’s speaker and deputy speaker later under the assembly rules.
The house consists of 168 members, of which 130 were elected on general seats, whereas 29 seats for women and nine for minority are reserved.
The ECP has so far notified successes of 163 Sindh Assembly members.
Additionally, a total of 27 seats for women and eight for minorities have also been notified. Notifications of two seats will not be issued as one member of the assembly has passed away, whereas Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has announced to vacate his seat, to protest alleged rigging in the elections.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) holds the majority share with 114 seats, followed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) 36. The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) has 3 seats, the JI one, whereas 9 seats belong to independents.
Prior to the oath-taking ceremony, the police detained several workers of opposition parties including women who staged protests outside the Sindh Assembly against the alleged rigging in the February 8 general elections. The law enforcement officials also baton-charged the protestors.
Opposition parties Including GDA, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-Haqiqi), had announced to hold a joint "peaceful" protest outside the Sindh Assembly.