ISLAMABAD   -   With legislative business, the parliament is considered as the hub of political activities in a democratic system, where the parliamentarians across the country represent their party’s position and their specific constituency. The Speaker, in the lower house of the parliament, is responsible to treat all the lawmakers impartially in a non-partisan manner. Balancing the environment of the House in extreme tense political situation and to conduct business is undoubtedly a hard nut to crack.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, in the parliamentary practice, is always the nominee of the ruling clique, and he has to confront criticism by the opposition benches in every government’s era.  The chair, despite his/her all out efforts to run the house in a smooth manner, has often been targeted by the opposition on so many issues almost on a daily basis.  The criticism related to grabbing the floor, non-issuance of production order, hasty legislation etc - are the part of almost each sitting.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq , in the 16th National Assembly, elected as 22nd Speaker National Assembly,  in extremely tense political chaos in the country, having secured a mandate with 199 votes. With high emotions after the February 08 polls, the opposition members from the day had not spared a day blaming the government for stealing their mandate, So it was undoubtedly a difficult task to smoothly run the house.

Recently, the Speaker’s office came under severe criticism when the opposition legislators were arrested. The chair, normally such a scenario in the past, was seen to abruptly adjourn or prorogue the proceedings to hushup the matter but the house was called next day as per its schedule and production orders of the arrested members were also issued. Now, all the attested PTI MNAs have been transferred to the Parliament Lodges (sub-jail declared for them).

On this gesture, even the opposition members lauded the role of the chair on the floor of the house.  The PTI’s government, on the statement of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, in its era was strongly criticized for not issuing production orders of the jailed members.

Though the Speaker National Assembly considered himself unlucky over the incident, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif lauded him for playing a key role in the crisis arising after the arrest of PTI’s MNAs from the premises of the parliament. “Atmosphere of the House would not have been so bitter, if former PTI’s era Speaker Asad Qaiser had issued the production order of the jailed [assembly] members like Ayaz Sadiq did,” said the Minister in his comment.

Recently, an 18-member special committee, in the aftermath of the arrests of the PTI lawmakers from within the Parliament House, has been constituted to firm up recommendations concerning the issues related to parliament, parliamentarians and smooth functioning of parliament.

Sadiq, in the PML-N’s government era, was also given credit for dealing with a tumultuous political situation in the parliament, when the PTI’s members tendered en-masse resignations and parliament’s premises was attacked by the protestors. Political and constitutional pundits, however, often saw commenting on extra-ordinary delay in the formation of the standing committees of the  national assembly.  NA Speaker, in his conversation with parliamentary correspondents, defended himself behind the delay in the formation of the Public Accounts committee [PAC] by stating that the opposition has still not shared nomination from their side.