PTI nominates Asad Qaiser as NA speaker, Ch Sarwar as Punjab governor

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has nominated party leader Asad Qaiser as speaker of the National Assembly and Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar as governor of Punjab.

PTI vice president Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed reporters on Friday about the party’s nominations for the posts of NA speaker and Punjab governor.

“We have a clear majority in Punjab and we are in a position to form the government in the province,” Qureshi said. 

Qaiser, who has previously served as speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly, brings a wealth of experience with him and enjoys an admirable relationship with all political parties, Qureshi told media. 

Asad Qaiser won NA-18 (Swabi I) and PK-44 (Swabi 2) constituency on the PTI's ticket during the July 25 general election. 

Qaiser belongs to the Swabi district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and graduated from the University of Peshawar before moving on to a career in education. He joined the PTI in 1996, prior to which he was a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing. In the PTI he was served as the district president of Swabi and provincial president of the party.   

Chaudhry Sarwar, who has served as Punjab governor in the past, was recently quoted as saying that he was not interested in the post. 

Senator Chaudhry Sarwar was born and raised in Pakistan, later moving to Scotland in the 1970s. He has served as a former member of the British Parliament. In 2013, he left Britain and returned to Pakistan joining the PML-N and being appointed Governor Punjab. Sarwar left the PML-N over difference and joined the PTI in 2015. Earlier this year he was appointed to the Senate of Pakistan on a general seat from Punjab.

Qureshi added that PTI chairman Imran Khan will announce the party's candidate for the post of Punjab chief minister. 

Earlier today, PTI senator Faisal Javed announced Imran Khan will take the oath as prime minister on August 18.