Sadiq said he was the first speaker to receive references for disqualification of lawmakers in such big number. PHOTO: REUTERS
“I have sent the references to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the ECP or the Supreme Court of Pakistan is now supposed to take a decision on them,” Sadiq told a meeting of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE).
Imran not to address Ayaz Sadiq as Mr Speaker
However, Sadiq hastened to add that in his opinion “neither democracy nor the prime minister is facing any danger.”
The speaker’s office had received eight references – half of them seeking disqualification of the premier for allegedly concealing assets, evading taxes, and laundering money. Two of these references had been filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the wake of the Panama leaks, while one each was filed by Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid and a former MP, Umar Farooq
In a counter move, the ruling party lawmakers had also filed two references against the PTI Chairman Imran Khan and MNA Jehangir Tareen. A citizen had also filed a disqualification reference against PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
The speaker’s office had forwarded all eight references to the ECP with his comments. However, in a move that invited the ire of the opposition, he had rejected the four references against Nawaz, while sending similar references against the two PTI leaders for action.
Sadiq said he was the first speaker to receive references for disqualification of lawmakers in such big number. “This [vogue of filing reference] has now become a usual practice,” he added.
“The whole system cannot be changed on the desire of one person,” he said in an apparent reference to PTI chief Imran Khan, who on Friday gave the government one month to fulfill his demand for the premier’s accountability.
Disqualification: Speaker rejects ex-CJ’s reference against PM
“Those who want to come into power should wait for the 2018 general election and shouldn’t try to shut down Islamabad,” he added.
The speaker said several countries including Russia, Iran and Afghanistan wanted to be part of the multibillion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
“This situation does not go down well with United States and India. The country needs peace in the current circumstances and nobody should try to make CPEC controversial,” he added.
Sadiq noted that since the CPEC was so important for Pakistan politics should be kept away from it. “India has always been an enemy of Pakistan and political parties should unite to foil conspiracies against Pakistan,” he said.
Talking with reference to the PTI chief Imran Khan, Sadiq said if he does not accept him as speaker then it means he does not accept the Constitution of Pakistan as he is a constitutionally elected speaker.
“Despite all the criticism against me, I still invite Imran Khan to attend the parliamentary leaders ‘meeting calling for deescalating tension between India and Pakistan,” he added.
Sadiq said he did not accept resignations of PTI members to save democracy from getting derailed.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2016.
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