ISLAMABAD: A quadrangular race is on for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly as eight candidates will contest today (Monday) for these two posts (four candidates each) in the lower house of parliament.
As the opposition stood divided and pitched their separate candidates, both for the election of the speaker and deputy speaker, the PML-N candidates Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Murtaza Javed Abbasi will enjoy easy sailing in the race and make their way to clinch the top constitutional posts of speaker and deputy speaker on the basis of their party’s clear majority in the House.
PML-N candidate Sardar Ayaz Sadiq won the National Assembly seat from NA-122 Lahore while Murtaza Javed Abbasi was victorius from NA-18 Abbottabad.The nomination papers of Shehryar Afridi of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) for the Speaker have been also been accepted by the Secretary National Assembly.
While PPP has nominated Nawab Yousaf Talpur as a candidate for the office of Speaker and Ghulam Rasool Koreja for the office of Deputy Speaker National Assembly, who submitted their nomination papers which too have been accepted.
Talking to media‚ PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said if elected as speaker he will maintain impartiality while running the business of house.
Meanwhile MQM has also joined the race by filing the papers of S A Iqbal Qadri and Kishwar Zehra respectively for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker. Their nomination papers too have been accepted.
The process to elect the speaker will take place on Monday after which Dr Fehmida Mirza will take oath of office from the new speaker.After the transfer of authority to the newly elected speaker, election of deputy speaker will take place and following it the speaker will take oath of office from the elected deputy speaker.
Both the elections will be held through secret ballot.PPP has taken a decision to contest the election of speaker and deputy speaker on late Saturday night in a
parliamentary party meeting that was chaired by its Parliamentary leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim.
According to sources, the PPP indicated that they took a decision to support the PML-N candidates for these posts. This however was not explained. The situation now is that PPP has pitched their candidates for the slots of the speaker and deputy speaker.
In the meanwhile, talking to the media after filing nomination papers for the Speaker National Assembly‚ Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said if elected as speaker he will maintain impartiality while running the business of house. “I will take the house along hoping that all members will actively participate in proceedings to resolve the issues of the common man,” he added.
He said if elected he would maintain impartiality while running the business of the house.Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that he would make all out effort to take up all the issues with the government and resolve them for the benefit of the people.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi thanked his party for reposing confidence in him.Speaking on the occasion‚ PML-N leader Senator Ishaq Dar said that his party candidates will win the election with big majority. He said that the new government will make no compromise on merit and will appoint people of good repute on key posts.
APP adds: The nomination papers for the offices of speaker and deputy speaker were submitted at the office of the secretary by 12 noon on Sunday. Any nominated member, in writing, can withdraw his candidature at any time before commencement of proceedings.
Ayaz Sadiq’s name was proposed by Zahid Hamid, Rana Tanvir Hussain and Khawaja Saad Rafiq for the Speaker’s office while Abdul Majeed Khan Khanan Khel, Ibadullah and Sardar Muhammad Yousuf proposed Murtaza Abbasi’s candidacy.Their names had been finalised in an informal parliamentary party meeting chaired by Nawaz Sharif at the Punjab House on Saturday.
