ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has expressed his willingness to mediate between the government and the opposition on constitutional amendments.
“If the government wants it, I could bring the government and the opposition on the table on the issue of constitutional amendment,”he said during a meeting and talk with the executive body members of the Parliamentary Reporters Association led by its president at Parliament House.
He mentioned that while he had a general understanding of the amendment drafts, but they were still in the preliminary stages. He emphasized that the initiative to establish a constitutional court had been agreed upon by all political leaders, including Maulana Fazalur Rehman, under the Charter of Democracy.
In a response to a question, he said the Constitution did not allow remarks against the judiciary and armed forces and he will also not allow it.
In response to questions about the arrest of Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), the Speaker termed the incident unfortunate and said that production orders for the arrested MNAs were issued without any consultation, and Parliament Lodges were declared a sub-jail.
He explained that he had 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,” he said.
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 Nazir Tarar and Mohsin Naqvi for their handling of the situation. He said that an initial report on the matter had already been prepared on the arrest of PTI members from inside the parliament and the final report will be prepared soon. “Having seen some CCTV footages, the incident of arrest of PTI members is unfortunate,” he said.
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 traditions but to no avail.
Regarding the scheduling of National Assembly sessions, the Speaker reiterated that the authority to convene or adjourn a session lies with the government. He 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.
He expressed his appreciation for the Pakistan Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) for their comprehensive coverage of parliamentary proceedings. 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.”
He said the National Assembly Secretariat is also committed to providing all necessary facilities to reporters so they can perform their professional duties efficiently.