Ayaz third NA speaker to lose slot

LAHORE
With the decision of Election Tribunal declaring the polls in NA-122 as null and void, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has become third sitting speaker of the National Assembly to lose this slot.
However, he is the first sitting speaker who has been sent home through de-seating of his NA seat as both others including Kh Safdar and Fakhr Imam were terminated through an in-house change. Moreover, a glance over the pre-1971 history of Pakistan also tells that one figure, Mobeenul Haq, who was speaker of West Pakistan Assembly (comprising Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan) was also shown the door and replaced by Anwar Bhinder in 1962, a blue-eyed of Ayub Khan.
In the National Assembly of 1985 which came into existence as a result of the first general elections of Ziaul Haq regime since dismissal of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in July 1977, Kh Safdar, a noted figure from Sialkot was elected NA speaker. He held this office for some time until Opposition members, through a no-confidence move dismissed him and Fakhr Imam was made new NA Speaker. In the same assembly, through another in-house change, Hamid Nasir Chattha, who was backed by then prime minister Mohammed Khan Junejo was also made speaker and Fakhr had to go.
Later, in the National Assemblies of 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2002 and 2008, figures including Malik Meraj Khalid, Gohar Ayub, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Elahi Bakhsh Soomro, Ch Ameer Hussein and Dr Fehmida Mirza completed their terms as NA speakers.
Ayaz Sadiq, won the polls from NA-122, quite contrary to expectations of PTI supporters who had pulled their weight for Imran Khan, party chairman who contested against Ayaz. Imran moved court and challenged the victory of Ayaz Sadiq and situation even led to a long march call towards Islamabad where a four months long sit-in also took place in support of a Judicial Commission to probe rigging in 2013 general elections. Elections were called in NA-125 by the Election Tribunal, another seat of Lahore from where Kh Saad Rafique had won the polls but the decision was suspended by the court and Saad still continues to hold the office. Ayaz Sadiq, the MNA elected from NA-122, has also been de-seated and sources said he is also likely to move court to challenge the decision.