Overseas Tribune Report
Pakistan Union Norway’s Chairman Chaudhary Qamar Iqbal congratulated the Norwegian Pakistani politician Abid Qayyum Raja who was elected as vice-president of Norway’s national parliament two days ago.
Ch Qamar Iqbal presents a bouquet to Abid Raja on Pakistan’s Independence ceremony in August 2017: File Photo
It is for second time in the history of Norway that a Muslim and an Asian of Pakistani origin became vice-president (equivalent of deputy speaker) of the country’s national parliament. Previously, another Norwegian Pakistani Akhtar Chaudhary had been elected as vice-president in 2009.
Raja secured number fifth in six-member parliament presidency panel as election for the panel took place at the parliament in Oslo on Saturday.
Mr Olemic Thommessen was re-elected as president while other vice-presidents included Nils T. Bjorke, Magne Rommetveit, Eva Kristin Hansen and Morten Wold.
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In a statement in Oslo, Chaudhary Qamar Iqbal, Chairman of Pakistan Union Norway, the leading Norwegian Pakistani Organization expressed hope that Raja and other parliamentarians from foreign background would work for betterment of the society, especially legal rights of the people of foreign origins based in Norway.
Chaudhary Qamar Iqbal added, Abid Rja is from secondly generation of the Norwegian Pakistanis who had migrated from Pakistan to Norway in 1970s and honestly took part in the development and construction of the country in last four decades.
He said, it was a outcome of hard working of the first generation of Pakistanis that today their second generation secured many highest positions including politics in Norway.
Parents of the Norway-born Abid Raja were among the Pakistanis who had been arrived in Norway as guest workers in the 1970s.
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Raja who is professionally lawyer started his career as an advocate in Norway but soon after entered in the politics. He is a law graduate and holds master degree in philosophy from London based Britain University of Oxford.
