NA Speaker Sadiq
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq recently issued a clarification regarding comments he made during a TV interview that were allegedly misquoted, reaffirming his respect for the judiciary. The remarks, which caused a stir, related to a discussion about the role of the courts and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in parliamentary matters.
Speaking at a session of the National Assembly on Monday, Sadiq addressed the controversy, stating, “A newspaper misquoted remarks made in an interview. The court writes to the Election Commission of Pakistan, and we implement it.” He emphasized his respect for the courts, dismissing the reported comments as a misunderstanding.
The clarification came after an interview with a private news channel, where Sadiq discussed various parliamentary issues, including decisions made by the Supreme Court.
However, a newspaper had reported that Sadiq allegedly said he would not act on the Supreme Court’s decision regarding reserved seats for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and would prefer to wait for the ECP’s ruling before taking any action.
The misquoted remarks also attributed Sadiq as referring to the Supreme Court’s majority decision on PTI’s reserved seats as a “re-writing of the Constitution.” This view is shared by some government ministers, further fueling the controversy.
Sadiq took the opportunity during the NA session to reaffirm his “huge respect for the honorable judiciary” and urged the media to engage in “responsible reporting.”
He stressed that his intention was never to undermine the judiciary and that any actions related to the reserved seats would be carried out in accordance with the law.
The issue of PTI’s reserved seats has been a contentious topic in recent months. In July, a full-court bench of the Supreme Court overturned earlier orders by the Peshawar High Court and the ECP, which had removed reserved seats allocated to the Sunni Ittehad Council. The Supreme Court ruled that PTI should still be considered a political party and entitled to its reserved seats.
Following the court’s ruling, the ECP sought further guidance from the Supreme Court on how to proceed, particularly regarding the confirmation of political affiliations of PTI members of the National and Provincial Assemblies.
These candidates had submitted their statements to the ECP based on the Supreme Court’s July 12 ruling, but the ECP was unsure how to proceed without an active organizational structure within PTI.
In response, the Supreme Court issued a clarification in September, stating that the ECP’s request for further guidance was merely a “delaying tactic.” The court warned that continued delays in implementing its order could lead to consequences for the electoral body.
The apex court also underscored that denying a major political party like PTI its rightful reserved seats would infringe upon the rights of the electorate.
More recently, the Supreme Court reiterated that amendments to election laws could not invalidate its previous rulings in the reserved seats case.
In a 14-page dissenting note, former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa argued that the majority decision of the Supreme Court was not binding. However, the majority of eight judges, who heard the appeals, decided otherwise.
Through his clarification, Sadiq aimed to set the record straight and alleviate concerns about any potential conflicts between the legislative and judicial branches, ensuring that due process would be followed in line with the Supreme Court’s rulings.
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