PTI faces defeat, Ayaz re-elected as NA speaker

ISLAMABAD: The ruling PML-N candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Monday took oath as the Speaker National Assembly for the second time after the House voted him to the prestigious office by more than a two-thirds majority in the speaker’s election.
Sadiq secured 268 out of 300 polled votes, while his opponent Shafqat Mehmood of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) received 31 votes. One vote was declared invalid.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif congratulated Ayaz Sadiq soon after his re-election.All the opposition parties and allies of the government, including the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), and Fata members voted in favour of Sadiq.
However, 38 MNAs including 14 from the PPPP, two from the MQM and over one dozen from the PML-N did not cast their vote.Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chaudhry Parvaiz Elahi were prominent among those who did not cast their vote.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah and PTI Chairman Imran Khan also turned up to cast their votes.
After taking oath, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq termed his success a victory of the Constitution and democracy and vowed to safeguard democracy, the Constitution and constitutional institutions with the cooperation and consultation of members from both the opposition and treasury benches.
“Today, I have no complaint or grievance against any member and my doors will remain open to all the members. We’ll start the journey from where it was suspended,” he said.He particularly mentioned the Kashmir cause saying a solid policy would be adopted to take forward this vital issue through Parliament.
He also pledged to make parliamentary diplomacy by developing contacts with other democratic countries to showcase the real picture of Pakistan.He said the House Business Advisory Committee would be made more effective with the consultation of members while a lot of improvement in the working of standing committees would also been seen.
Taking the floor, Shafqat Mahmood congratulated Ayaz Sadiq on his victory and assured him of full cooperation in the House. He underlined the need for reformation of the electoral system to strengthen democracy.
Shafqat said people’s trust in the system was crucial for democracy and expressed the hope that Sadiq would use the given authority for the welfare of people.He said everyone talked about democracy and wanted to strengthen it but nothing would happen unless people trusted the election system.
“The elections must be free and fair whether it is local bodies (LB) or general elections,” Shafqat said. He expressed the hope that every member of Parliament would work for the cause.
Congratulating Ayaz Sadiq on his victory for the second time, Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah said: “We should work together for the success of democratic system.”
He said the system’s success and strengthening of institutions should be the ultimate aim of any government and lauded Sadiq’s efforts as Speaker in the last two years before his de-seating.
MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said Sadiq’s matter was quite similar to the MQM resignations. He both the MQM and Sadiq had come back to Parliament the same day.
He said it was an honour for Sadiq that the PML-N recommendation was not opposed. Sattar also lauded Shafqat Mehmood for taking the defeat on his chin and keeping the democratic values intact.
He also mentioned Rashid Godil who was attacked in Karachi and battled for his life for a long time. Sattar said Godil was given a second life.
However, Sattar said Pakistan was yet to go a long way to turn Iqbal’s dreams into a reality. He said supremacy of law and the Constitution would strengthen the country.
He talked about alleged victimization of the MQM — Pakistan’s fourth largest party. He said it was extremely tragic that the leader of such a big political party had lost contact with his followers after the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) ban on his speeches and display of pictures.
Sahibzada Tariqullah congratulated Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on his election as Speaker and Shafqat Mahmood for contesting the election.
Ghazi Gulab Jamal said highlighted the problems of Fata and urged the government to take effective steps to solve them.
The members who were absent from the house included Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani, Sajid Nawaz, Deewan Ashiq, Shaista Pervaiz, Seema Jamili, Shagufta Jumani, Marvi Memon, Bhon Das, Peer Noor Muhammad Jilani, Asad Sikandar, Rafique Jamali, Pir Bux Junejo, Shazia Mari, Naveed Qamar, Munawwar Talpur, Sardar Kamal, Faqir Sher Muhammad, Ayaz Soomro, Faryal Talpur, Ameer Aamir Magsi, Peer Sadruddin Shah, Zafarullah Jamali, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Asif Hasnain, Khalid Maqbool, Abdul Rahim Mandokhel, Maulvi Agha Muhammad, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ameer Haider Khan Hoti.