South Asia News
Afghan parliament elects its speaker
Feb 27, 2011, 13:56 GMT
Kabul - The Afghan parliament elected a speaker of the lower house on Sunday, lawmakers said, after weeks of political deadlock.
'Finally, after a series of meetings and sessions, a majority of the people's representatives voted and selected Abdul Raof Ibrahimi as speaker of the lower house on Sunday,' parliamentarian Abdul Qadir Qalatwal said.
'More than 200 parliamentarians voted for Ibrahimi within 40 minutes,' he said. Ibrahimi is to head the lower house, also known as Wolesi Jirga, for the next five years.
Sunday's vote following a month of political tension, after Afghan President Hamid Karzai inaugurated it on January 25.
Former house speaker Mohammad Yunus Qanooni and ex-warlord Abdulrab Rasool Sayaf were the first two candidates for the position. Both of them failed to secure the simple majority required to win.
September's election for the lower house was marred by widespread violence and allegations of fraud. The country's high court has set up a special tribunal to investigate.
Read more about Afghanistan Politics
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