The National Assembly (NA) will elect its speaker and deputy speaker for the next five years in its session today.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominee for NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq, and deputy speaker Murtaza Jawed Abbasi, on Sunday filed nomination papers for their respective positions.
The NA secretary accepted papers of both PML-N nominees.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI’s) Shaharyar Afridi, Yusuf Talpur from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Iqbal Qadri from Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) also filed their papers for the speaker’s office.
The outgoing speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza will supervise the election. She will also administer oath to the newly-elected speaker.
The election of deputy speaker will be supervised by the newly-elected speaker.
All nomination papers for the two offices were submitted to the NA secretary by noon on Sunday.
Candidates vying for the slot of deputy speaker other than PML-N’s Abbasi include Ghulam Rasool Koreja of PPP, Munazza Hassan of PTI and Kishwar Zehra of MQM.
Talking to media personnel after filing his nomination papers, Ayaz Sadiq thanked Nawaz Sharif and other party leaders for showing confidence in him.
He said he would maintain impartiality while running the business of the House, if elected.
Sadiq urged all the members of NA to participate in the proceedings of the House.
Abbasi also thanked his party and the Sharifs for nominating him for deputy speaker, adding that PML-N had taken a positive step by nominating someone from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the position of deputy speaker.
Speaking on the occasion, PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar said the party leadership was trying to give responsibility to suitable candidates.
He said PML-N will keep in touch with other political parties to get support for their nominees for the two positions.
