With the Balochistan Assembly lawmakers sworn in on Wednesday all provincial assemblies of the country have now come into effect.

The 57 newly-elected lawmakers were administered oath by Zamrak Khan Achakzai who was appointed the presiding officer for the session.

Achakzai was appointed the presiding officer for the session with authorities barring the entry of guests in light of expected protests and the prevailing law and order situation in the province.

The 51 members, elected on general seats, who took oath today include members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers who have emerged as the largest parties in the 65-member House. 

The assembly includes 11 reserved seats for women and three for minorities while the PPP has 11 seats and PML-N has 10 seats. 

Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) have 10 and five seats, respectively.

Furthermore, as many as six independent candidates have also made it to the Balochistan Assembly along with the National Party (NP) and Balochistan National Party (BNP) who have secured three and one seats, respectively.

Following their oaths, the legislators, in the session that will continue in the coming days, will vote for the election of the House’s speaker and deputy speaker followed by the election of the chief minister.

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 government in the province as they already have agreed to form a coalition government in the Centre.

Balochistan Assembly’s inaugural session comes on the same day newly-elected members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly took of thier their office.

The members of Sindh and Punjab Assemblies have already taken the oath of office followed by the election of speakers, deputy speakers and chief ministers.