National Assembly picks PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq as the new speaker, PPP’s Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah as deputy speaker

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected as the National Assembly speaker on Friday.

Ayaz Sadiq became the 23rd speaker of the parliament’s lower house bagging 199 votes. He defeated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Malik Aamir Dogar, who got 91 votes.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah was elected as the deputy speaker of the national assembly after securing 197 votes and defeating Junaid Akbar, who bagged 92 votes.

Outgoing speaker Raja Parvez Ashraf administered the oath to Ayaz Sadiq, who later administered the oath to the newly-elected deputy speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah.

After taking the oath, in his address to the National Assembly Members, Ayaz Sadiq assured the opposition members of running the affairs of the house with fairness.

“I am thankful to Allah (SWT) for being elected for the third time in this position. I am thankful to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for nominating me,” he said.

The NA speaker said: “Aamir Dogar has always called me a big brother and I will show him by becoming a big brother.”

“My doors are open for everyone,” he added.

Ayaz Sadiq maintained that he would try to create a consensus in politics with the help of all stakeholders.

He also urged both sides of the aisle to have differences but in a democratic way.

Following the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the National Assembly will elect the new prime minister on March 3 (Sunday).