Achakzai calls for resolutions to ensure parliament's supremacy

ISLAMABAD: Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai has urged all political stakeholders to pass a resolution to ensure supremacy of parliament, saying that some people want to make it ‘animals market’, ARY News reported on Friday.

Speaking on the National Assembly (NA) floor, Achakzai said that Pakistan was passing through difficult times, underscoring the importance of ensuring supremacy of parliament.

“Today is the first day of the National Assembly, you all [PPP, PML-N and PTI] should now pass four resolutions that parliament will be the source of power for Pakistan’s internal and external affairs and no one else,” he said.

Mahmood Khan Achakzai further said that they will “salute” those who believes in the supremacy of the Constitution. “Those who embraced martyrdom in fight for democracy should be declared martyrs and judges who opposed martial law should be declared heroes,” he added.

“Believe it or not the PTI representatives have come to the parliament through the power of the people. Changing the public mandate is tantamount to treason,” he maintained.

Earlier in the day, PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected as the National Assembly speaker, while PPP’s Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah secured the slot of deputy speaker.

Sadiq became the 23rd speaker of the parliament’s lower house after he bagged 199 votes, defeating Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Malik Aamir Dogar, who bagged 91 votes. Later, Shah secured 197 votes and defeated Junaid Akbar, who bagged 92 votes.

Outgoing speaker Raja Parvez Ashraf administered the oath to Sadiq, while the newly-elected speaker administered the oath to Shah.

The NA session was convened today to elect the speaker and deputy speaker during which opposition lawmakers chanted slogans against alleged rigging in the Feb 8 polls.