Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate MPA Abdul Khaliq Achakzai has been elected unopposed as the Balochistan Assembly speaker. Whereas, the secretary said, Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Ghazala Gola has been elected unopposed as the provincial assembly’s deputy speaker. Balochistan Assembly Secretary Tahir Shah Kakar announced this after no opponent came forward against the two MPAs. Achakzai and Gola have taken oath, he added. They were nominated for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker by their respective parties. The newly sworn-in assembly was scheduled to vote for the election of the house’s speaker and deputy speaker today but they were able to secure the post without taking a vote since no other candidate submitted their papers against them by the 12pm deadline set for the submission of papers. A total of 57 newly-elected lawmakers were administered oath on Wednesday by Zamrak Khan Achakzai, who was appointed the presiding officer for the maiden session of the provincial legislative. As many as 51 members took oath, including the elects from the PPP, PML-N, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) and others. Later, the assembly session was adjourned till Thursday 3pm. With a divided provincial assembly, where no political party managed to secure a simple majority in the February 8 polls, the PPP and the PML-N might join hands to form a government in the province as they already have agreed to form a coalition government in the Centre.