JUI chief to head Pak parliament's Kashmir committee

Islamabad, Sept 17 : Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday became the first parliamentarian to be elected chairman of the Kashmir Committee of the National Assembly.

Rehman's name was proposed by Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and seconded by Sheikh Aftab Ahmed of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said, "Maulana Fazl's election is part of a power-sharing formula under which the JUI-F, which has one minister in the federal cabinet, would get two more ministries and a post of parliamentary secretary."

Rehman, who was the leader of opposition in the previous National Assembly, was chairman of the NA Committee on Foreign Affairs during Benazir Bhutto's second term as Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan is likely to become the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and PML-N's parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is likely to become the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.

ANI