Pakistan's new National Assembly begins session, 329 members take oath
Islamabad, Aug 13: The maiden session of Pakistan's newly-elected National Assembly began here on Monday, with the outgoing speaker administering the oath to 329 members of the Lower House of the Parliament as part of the country's second democratic transition of power.
Presiding over the 15th Parliament session, Speaker of previous National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq administered the oath to the new members in the 342-member house. This was followed by signing of the "Roll of Members", marking their presence in a register, Dawn online reported.
The session, summoned by President Mamnoon Hussain, commenced with the National Anthem and was followed by the recitation of the Holy Quran.
Prime Minister-in-waiting and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan was among those sworn in, along with other prominent leaders including Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Shehbaz Sharif.
Bilawal Bhutto, who has been elected to the National Assembly for the first time, shook hands with Khan as the members took their seats.
Elections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly will be held on August 15.
The PTI has already nominated former Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Asad Qaiser for the office of National Assembly Speaker while the joint opposition, comprising 11 political parties, fielded PPP's Syed Khurseed Shah for speakership.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman's Asadur Rehman was nominated for the post of deputy speaker.
Elected members of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan provincial assemblies were also sworn in. The Punjab Assembly session, on the other hand, is slated for August 15.
According to the poll body's figures, the PTI now has 158 members in the National Assembly after the joining of nine Independents and bagging of 33 seats reserved for women and minorities.
It faces a strong opposition from the PML-N with 82 seats, followed by PPP's 53 seats and MMA with 15 seats. These three had earlier joined forces to take on Khan.
The PTI chief is scheduled to take the oath of office on August 18 at the President's House. Shehbaz Sharif is the joint candidate of opposition parties for the top post.
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Justice Varma transferred to Allahabad HC amid probe over discovery of cash at his home
New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI): The government Friday notified the transfer of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court, the order coming amid a row over alleged discovery of a huge amount of cash from his official residence here. The Law Ministry issued a notification announcing his transfer.
Recommending his repatriation to the government on Monday, the Supreme Court Collegium had asserted the move was separate from an in-house probe ordered by the top court over the alleged discovery of cash from Justice Varma's residence after a fire incident around 11.35 on the night of Holi, March 14.
Following the incident, Chief Justice of India had directed the Delhi High Court to withdraw judicial work from the judge.
On March 21, the Supreme Court said Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya had initiated an in-house inquiry against Justice Varma and there was a separate proposal to transfer the judge.
Justice Upadhyaya was stated to have commenced the inquiry prior to a meeting of the apex court Collegium on March 20.
On March 22, the CJI uploaded on the SC website the inquiry report by Chief Justice Upadhyaya, and constituted the three-member committee to conduct an in-house inquiry.
Two days later, the Supreme Court Collegium formally recommended to the Centre Justice Varma's transfer.
"The Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on March 20 and 24, 2025 has recommended the repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad," an SC resolution on that day read.
The next day, the three-member SC committee visited Justice Varma's residence, commencing its inquiry into the matter.
Justice Varma has denounced any insinuation and said no cash was ever placed at the site either by him or any of his family members.
Earlier today, the top court rejected a PIL seeking Delhi Police to register an FIR over over the alleged discovery of burnt wads of cash from his official residence, calling the petition "premature".
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said the in-house inquiry was in progress and there would be several options open to the Chief Justice of India after the probe concludes.
Members of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association have been protesting against the Collegium's recommendation to repatriate Justice Varma to the Allahabad HC. The protesting lawyers met Chief Justice Khanna in Delhi Thursday.
Separately, the government also notified the repatriation of Delhi High Court judge Chandra Dhari Singh to the Allahabad High Court.
The Collegium had in November last year recommended Justice Singh's repatriation.
In another order, Justice Arindam Sinha was transferred from the Orissa High Court to the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended his transfer earlier this month.
