The 16th National Assembly (NA) officially commenced on Wednesday with the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected MNAs following the general elections held on February 8.
The oath-taking ceremony for the newly elected MNAs was conducted by Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Despite a scheduled start time of 10 a.m., the proceedings began after 11 a.m.
The NA session kicked off amidst uproar immediately after the national anthem concluded, as lawmakers backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and affiliated with the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) encircled the speaker's podium. The PTI-affiliated lawmakers had announced their intention to protest alleged election rigging during this session. Speaker Ashraf managed to calm the situation after appealing to the protesting lawmakers, allowing the oath-taking process to proceed.
However, soon after the completion of the oath ceremony, PTI-SIC lawmakers resumed their slogans and protests.
Stringent security measures were implemented in the Red Zone, with only vehicles displaying special cards and stickers permitted to enter the Parliament House premises.
In a separate development, following negotiations with the Centre, President Dr. Arif Alvi eventually approved a summary submitted by Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to convene the inaugural session of the National Assembly on Thursday. Despite expressing reservations over the tone and allegations contained in the summary forwarded by PM Kakar, President Alvi signed the document.
