Sardar Ayaz Sadiq sworn in as NA speaker

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has been elected as the 22nd speaker of the National Assembly (NA).

The National Assembly (NA) session for the election of new NA speaker was chaired by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) protested during the session.

The voting for the election of the speaker was held through a secret ballot. The lawmakers one by one cast their vote.

PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq gained 199 votes, while Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Aamir Dogar 91 votes. After the official announcement by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Sardare Ayaz Sadiq was administered oath as the new speaker of NA.

After the oath-taking, the new speaker took charge of the house, while Raja Pervaiz Ashraf subsequently stepped down from his position.

The new speaker will now conduct the election of the deputy speaker.

Read more: Newly elected MNAs take oath in NA’s inaugural session

It is to be noted that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), President, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif nominated Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly on behalf of PML-N, and Bilawal Bhutto named Ghulam Mustafa Shah as the candidate for Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly on behalf of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominated Aamir Dogar for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly, while PTI’s Junaid Khan would contest for the post of Deputy Speaker.