Establishment of constitutional court agreed upon by all leaders: Speaker

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq emphasised that the initiative to establish a constitutional court had been agreed upon by all political leaders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman under the Charter of Democracy.

The Speaker expressed these remarks during his meeting with the executive body members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA), led by their President Usman Khan, at Parliament House, on Saturday.

Addressing queries regarding constitutional amendments, the Speaker expressed his willingness to mediate between the government and the opposition.

He mentioned that while he had a general understanding of the amendment drafts, they were still in the preliminary stages. He emphasised that the initiative to establish a constitutional court had been agreed upon by all political leaders, including Maulana Fazlur Rehman under the Charter of Democracy. He highlighted that the press gallery is an essential component of the parliament.

“Journalists in the Press Gallery play a pivotal role in disseminating the proceedings of the House to the public, fulfilling an important responsibility. The National Assembly Secretariat is also committed to providing all necessary facilities to reporters so they can perform their professional duties efficiently,” said the Speaker.

In response to questions about the arrest of Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), the Speaker termed the incident unfortunate. “Production orders for the arrested MNAs were issued without any consultation, and Parliament Lodges were declared a sub-jail,” he stated.

The Speaker further explained that he immediately called the Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad to ensure that the arrested members were treated with dignity and respect. The members, who were brought to attend the session under production orders, personally expressed their gratitude. The speaker also noted that in the previous government, production orders for detained members were not issued.

He commended the roles of Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar and Mohsin Naqvi for their handling of the situation and informed the media that an initial report on the matter had already been prepared. While discussing the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Speaker clarified that the PAC belongs to all parties, not just one.

He stated that the opposition had been repeatedly requested to submit a panel of names for the chairmanship, as per tradition. Regarding the scheduling of National Assembly sessions, the Speaker reiterated that the authority to convene or adjourn a session lies with the government.

Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also acknowledged the positive developments in the country’s economy, expressing hope that further good news on economic improvements would emerge during the current government’s term.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024