Former Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq along with Dr Shazia Soomro, Riaz-ul-Haq and Babar Nawaz Khan were sworn-in Friday as Members National Assembly. Acting Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abassi administered oath to the newly-elected members who returned to parliament after winning by-elections. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers warmly welcomed Ayaz Sadiq by thumping desks and chanting slogans when he entered the House. Members from PPP, MQM and JUI-F also greeted Sadiq one by one.
While announcing the schedule for NA Speaker's election, the acting Speaker said the candidates could submit their nomination papers by Sunday before 12 noon and elections would be held on Monday at 9:00am. Afterward, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members also returned to the House after taking back their resignations. The acting Speaker as well as treasury and opposition members welcomed MQM lawmakers.
The MQM MNAs had tendered their resignations on August 12, 2015 in protest against Karachi operation, claiming that their workers were killed and some went missing. While giving the ruling, the acting NA Speaker said, "On August, 12, 2015, MNAs belonging to MQM tendered their resignations en mass to NA Speaker. The reasons for resignations annexed with their letters of resignations were identical and of a political nature, to suggest that it was a political move and actually were not intended to relinquish or vacate the seats, therefore, it was decided to initiate the process of verification."
"On Thursday, 22 members belonging to MQM have withdrawn their resignations in writing. Now, they are present in the House. Their resignations are therefore, stand withdrawn," he added. MQM members Sheikh Salahuddin and Sajjad Ahmed submitted an application for withdrawal of 22 of 24 of its parliamentarians' resignation letters. Two MQM parliamentarians Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Asif Husnain could not submit their applications as they were out of the country.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was re-elected from the NA-122 seat after defeating Aleem Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in October 11 crucial by-elections in Lahore in a neck and neck contest between the two parties. The three other MNAs who were sworn in included Riazul Haq Judge, a former independent candidate who joined ruling PML-N after winning NA-144 Okara by-polls, Haripur's NA-19 by-poll winner PML-N's Babar Nawaz, and Dr Shazia Soomro who was elected to a reserved seat for women.
Deputy parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Shah Mehmood Qureshi speaking on a point of order pointed out that as per rules, conduct of business of the house, no other proceeding except oath-taking of newly elected members takes place on first day of the session. He said that it is violation of Rule-11 (b) of procedure and conduct of business in the House.
The PTI parliamentarians said the chair is violating rules by taking other business of the House. "Earlier, you also bulldozed decision of business advisory committee and did not hear our views," Qureshi objected. Qureshi said the chair is considered to be the custodian of the House, and he must conduct the proceedings without any favour. However, the acting NA Speaker said the chair should not be made controversial as the House is being proceeded under Rule -13 and the Article- 65 of the Constitution.
After taking oath, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq who is set to be re-elected as NA Speaker again advised PTI leadership to be democratic and refrain from politics of ego, terming it damaging for national interests as well as teething democratic system in the country. He said that with the verdict of judicial commission, his re-election as MNA and PML-N's sweeping victory in local government elections, the rumours of rigging in 2013 by PTI have died down. "Following decision of election tribunal, my leadership decided to move to court of people which gave their verdict," Sadiq recalled in reelection in October 11 by-elections with a thin margin against PTI candidate.
In an obvious reference to PTI leadership, Sadiq said that it was not the prime minister or he himself or any other party leader who suffered due to PTI sit-ins rather it was nation which had to bear the brunt of dharnas. He also requested his party MNAs to refrain from raising slogans of 'shame, shame...', adding that "We don't want to use or teach such a language to our generations which was frequently used atop the container." He said the Election Tribunal which ordered re-election in NA-122 Lahore also did not support allegations of rigging and put all the blame on the Election Commission.