National Assembly speakership: Prime Minister's man Ayaz Sadiq re-elected

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was re-elected on Monday as the 20th Speaker of National Assembly. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Shafqat Mahmood of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were the two contenders for the slot of National Assembly Speaker. After completing the voting process for the NA speakership, Acting Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi said: "A total of 300 votes were polled; out of which, one vote was found invalid. Shafqat Mahmood secured 31 votes while Sardar Ayaz Sadiq bagged 268 votes".
"I congratulate Ayaz Sadiq on his re-election as Speaker of National Assembly," the Acting Speaker said amidst thumping of desks by the members of Lower House of Parliament. He said it is indeed a historic moment in the history of the country that a member has been elected Speaker twice in the same tenure of the National Assembly. Sadiq, who was elected National Assembly Speaker after the 2013 general election, was de-seated by an election tribunal in August this year over what it said massive irregularities in the election process in NA-122 constituency of Lahore.
The decision was taken in response to a PTI Chairman Imran Khan's petition that had challenged Sadiq's victory. Sadiq recently retained his National Assembly seat by contesting the by-election of NA-122 against PTI's Aleem Khan. All political parties - Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Parliamentarians - had thrown their weight behind Ayaz Sadiq in the election of National Assembly Speaker held on Monday.
After his re-election, Ayaz Sadiq was administered oath as Speaker of the National Assembly by Acting Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi. After oath-taking ceremony, Acting Speaker Murtaza Javed Abasi vacated the Speaker's chair for Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. Sadiq told the House: "I thank Almighty Allah for my re-election and this is the first time in Pakistan that a National Assembly Speaker has been re-elected from the same assembly. I thank Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his party for reposing confidence in me."
"I also thank the political parties who supported me in the election of the speakership," he said. The re-elected Speaker also thanked the PTI members for participating in the election process with a view to strengthening the democratic system. He said this is not his personal victory but that of the democracy. He said all the political parties will work together towards the strengthening of system. Sadiq assured the House that he will play an active towards making the Parliament a more vibrant forum.
The Speaker said the Kashmir issue has been on the agenda of the House and it will be taken forward to highlight the issue at international levels. He said the Parliament will be shifted to solar energy next month. PTI candidate Shafqat Mahmood congratulated Sadiq on his victory and assured him full co-operation. He underlined the need for introduction of reforms in the electoral system to strengthen democracy.
While criticising the government, he said it doesn't take the Parliament into confidence on important issues, adding that the Parliament was not taken into confidence on decisions in relation to 'National Action Plan, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) agreement, setting up of military courts and privatisation policy'. He said that such national issues should be discussed in the House before any decision is taken. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah congratulated Sadiq on his re-election and said that "we should work together for the success of the democratic system." He said the re-election of Sadiq is the latter's recognition of services that he rendered as Speaker of National Assembly. He said that Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms should complete its work as soon as possible.
MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar also congratulated Sadiq and said that "it is a victory of democracy." He said all political parties should work together and formulate a national agenda to solve the problems of people. "There is a need to strengthen democratic institutions and supremacy of the Constitution. There is also a need of civilian oversight of all institutions," he said. Sahibzada Tariqullah of JI, Syed Gulab Jamal of FATA, Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour of ANP, Mir Zaman of JUI-F and others also congratulated Sadiq on his re-election and appreciated Shafqat Mahmood for contesting the election.