Islamabad: Newly elected members of the 15th National Assembly of Pakistan have showered praise on former Speaker of the Assembly Ayaz Sadiq for conducting the House proceedings in an efficient, mature and impartial way during the last five years.

Newly-elected Speaker of the House and PTI MNA from Swabi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Asad Qaiser after taking oath as Speaker of the National Assembly termed Ayaz Sadiq a role model for other members and vowed to follow his example during his tenure as the new custodian of the House.

“The way you have conducted the house is quite exemplary for others and I would try my best to follow your example,” said Asad Qaiser.

Joint opposition’s candidate for the office of the Speaker and former Opposition Leader, Syed Khurshid Shah also spoke high of Ayaz Sadiq saying it would be unfair if we don’t acknowledge the outgoing Speaker’s role in conducting the House in mature, efficient and neutral way.

“You have established and promoted higher parliamentary values and your tenure as Speaker of the National Assembly would be remembered long,” said Shah.

One could see from the Press Gallery, members of the Assembly bursting into thunderous applause when Ayaz Sadiq stepped down as Speaker after handing over the chair and charge to Asad Qaiser.

Ayaz Sadiq is now no more Speaker of the National Assembly but PML-N MNA from Lahore.

In his farewell speech, Ayaz Sadiq said it was difficult but onerous task to handle both sides of the aisle and strike balance between government and opposition members, he said.

He also recalled the days when Parliament was dubbed as ‘thief’. All of us were hurt to hear that but we had no option but to respect and regard the elected members of the National Assembly, he said. There was a time, when my own party members accused me of tilting towards Opposition but how could I undo the membership of one who has been elected by hundreds and thousands of voters, he said.

He raised questions on the performance of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying it failed to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country.

Neither was the commission prepared nor its returning officers (ROs) were properly trained, he said. Sadiq asked where Rs20 billion were spent if they were not spent on training of the ROs.

There was also exchange of interesting comments between Ayaz Sadiq and PTI MNA Dr Shireen Mazari and Sadiq prayed that Dr Mazari became Speaker one day and he would do the same to her that she had been doing to him in the previous assembly. He called her an unguided missile who fell on her own party. The house burst into laughter on that comment.

Sadiq assured the new Speaker Asad Qaiser all-out cooperation from his side. “I will never use such words as could undermine the august office of the Assembly nor humiliate you by calling your name instead of Mr Speaker,” he said in a clear reference to some of the PTI MNAs who used to exchange hot words with him.