PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq elected as Speaker of Pak’s National Assembly

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, a senior leader from the party headed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was on Friday elected as the Speaker of the newly-formed National Assembly amidst protests by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate beat his rival Amir Dogar, who got only 91 votes amid commotion caused by the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) members.

Dogar was backed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

“Out of a total 291 votes, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has got 199 votes, while his challenger Amir Dogar has got 91 votes, while one vote has been declared as invalid,” outgoing Speaker, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who presided over the session held to elect his successor through the secret voting system, announced.

Sadiq secured 199 votes out of a total of 291 votes cast.

Given its position in the Assembly, it was sure that the PML-N-backed candidate would win as the Nawaz Sharif-headed party had tied up with the PPP and other four smaller parties to keep Khan’s PTI out of power.

In his final remarks, the outgoing Speaker thanked the House for keeping trust in him.

After the election as Speaker, Sadiq was administered the oath of office by Ashraf. Sadiq after donning the special robes of the Speaker announced to organise the election of Deputy Speaker for which Syed Ghulam Mustafa of PPP was up against Junaid Akbar of SIC.

The session for the election of Speaker was marred by ruckus and sloganeering against alleged poll rigging, with the outgoing Speaker, Ashraf, repeatedly calling for order in the House.