Thursday, May 30, 2013

PML-N considering Ayaz Sadiq, Jamali for slot of NA speaker

By Tanveer Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is reportedly considering the names of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali for National Assembly speaker, Daily Times learnt on Wednesday.

Earlier, the PML-N held deliberations on the name of Mahmood Khan Ackakzai for this important constitutional position, but he is now out of the race after Ackakzai himself decided not to go for the post.

Sources in the PML-N disclosed that the party, gaining a majority in the National Assembly on the back of Punjab, wanted to accommodate smaller provinces on high offices of the government and parliament, and Balochistan, the most deprived province, was considered for this post.

However, the PML-N could not find a person for this slot from the province, and does not want to create a situation in which the party feels helpless in key legislation when the speaker is from another party, like the Pakhtunkhwa Awami Milli Party (PKMAP), which is headed by Mahmood Ackakzai.

Sources revealed that the party was focusing more on the speaker’s office because it had no problem in choosing the leader of the House and the deputy speaker.

In order to give the slot to Balochistan, the party has also considered the name of Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, who elected independently and joined the PML-N.

However, he might face some opposition from the party ranks because of his association with former army ruler Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, as Jamali was elected a prime minister after the 2002 election.

Sources pointed out that so far, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, elected from Lahore by defeating Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, is leading the race for
this slot, and is being seriously considered for the position.

As only two days are left before the first session of the Lower House of parliament, the party is holding deliberations all day long to finalise the name, because on the first day after taking oath, the nomination papers for the speaker would be filed.

For deputy speaker, the party is likely to nominate Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, and if it had to give the position to a women lawmaker, Sumera Malik would be the choice, sources added.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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