Pakistan-born Chaudry named deputy speaker in Norway

OSLO - Pakistan-born Akhtar Chaudry broke political ground Wednesday after being named deputy speaker and member of the Norwegian parliament’s presidium.

Chaudry, 48, became the first foreign-born member of the six-member presidium that oversees the 169-seat legislature’s affairs, including the order of business.

He was nominated by the Socialist Left Party, one of the three parties in the ruling red-green coalition that won a second four-year term after last month’s general elections.

“I really value the trust that the party’s parliamentary caucus has given me,” Chaudry was quoted as saying by Norwegian news agency NTB.

Former minister of labour and social inclusion, Dag Terje Andersen of the Labour Party, was named new speaker.