ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected as the speaker of the National Assembly on Friday after the conclusion of the voting process.
The PML-N politician defeated the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-backed independent lawmaker Malik Aamir Dogar, who was supported by the Sunni Ittehad (SIC) Council lawmakers in the House.
Sadiq won the speaker’s contest with 199 votes, gaining a majority from the members of the PML-N, PPP and other lawmakers backing his nomination in the lower house.
This is the second time that he has become the speaker. Sadiq had served as the speaker from 2013-2018 in the 14th National Assembly
The polling for the election of the National Assembly speaker has been completed and the counting of votes is underway in the session that has been marred by protests of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) lawmakers.
Sadiq will now be administered oath by outgoing Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.
After the oath-taking, the new speaker will then take charge of the house forthwith. Ashraf will, subsequently, step down from his position.
As the first order of business Sadiq will now hold elections for his deputy.
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Syed Ghulam Mustafa and SIC’s Junaid Akbar will contest for the slot.