ISLAMABAD  - The 17th Speakers Conference concluded here on Tuesday with the pledge by all the participants that they would not become part of any unconstitutional act or move to derail the democratic order in the country.
Talking with media persons at the concluding session of the three-day conference held here at Parliament House, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that for the promotion of democratic order in the country it was imperative to promote the culture of mutual respect of one another’s mandate and at least stand united against any move aimed at causing damage to the democracy.
In the joint communiqué issued at the conclusion of the conference it was strongly recommended to include parliamentary norms as a subject in colleges and universities curricula. The conference also recommended issuance of official passports to the sitting parliamentarians.
Responding to media persons’ queries, Sadiq said that democracy was taking roots in the country and for the first time in country’s history a smooth transfer of power from one government to the other democratically elected government had taken place. He further said that for the first time he had invited former speakers of the National Assembly to share their valuable experiences with the participants. He further informed that Elahi Bux Somroo, Syed Fakhr Imam, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Dr Fahmida Mirza, and Ch Amir Hussain graced the event and enlightened the participants on their experiences as custodian of the august house.
To a question he said that country was confronted with challenges of terrorism and sectarianism, which were posing serious threats to the peace and stability but expressed his optimism that the nation would overcome these menaces with unity. He also paid rich tributes to all those who had laid down their lives in fighting out terrorism and said that their sacrifices would not go waste and ultimately the country would overcome those issues.
He said after the passage of 18th Constitutional Amendment provincial assemblies had secured the right to do extensive legislation and this responsibility had been fixed on them that they brought betterment in the departments of health, education, social progress and public interest.
The NA speaker said legislation process would be made more effective to protect rights of women, children and minorities. He said, “We promise that we will continue the process of legislation with the mutual understanding of parliament and provincial assemblies for the performance of parliamentary responsibility and will get benefit from the experience of each other.”
He informed that probably Pakistan was the first country where parliament was switching over to solar energy and making the parliament proceeding paperless.  “Islamabad Capital Territory department is establishing it and we would see the library on website,” he added. He maintained the conference also reviewed the idea of establishing a separate TV channel of the parliament.
“We must tell the international community to play its due role in providing Kashmiris their right to self-determination according to the resolutions of United Nations,” he said.
To a question he said that they were in the process of slashing down the expenditures of the National Assembly Secretariat and for the purpose he had taken the start from the Speaker Chamber.
To a question he said that every department including judiciary was working in the ambit defined in the constitution. Responding to another question, he said that ruling of the speaker could not be challenged in any court.