Ayaz Sadiq

Pakistani politician

Ayaz Sadiq

ایاز صادق

Sadiq in 2017

17th and 22nd Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan

Incumbent

Assumed office
1 March 2024
Deputy| Ghulam Mustafa Shah
Preceded by| Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
In office
9 November 2015 – 15 August 2018
Deputy| Murtaza Javed Abbasi
Preceded by| Murtaza Javed Abbasi (acting)
Succeeded by| Asad Qaiser
In office
3 June 2013 – 22 August 2015
Deputy| Murtaza Javed Abbasi
Preceded by| Fahmida Mirza
Succeeded by| Murtaza Javed Abbasi (Acting)
Federal Minister For Economic Affairs
In office
19 April 2022 – 10 July 2023
President| Arif Alvi
Prime Minister| Shehbaz Sharif
Preceded by| Omar Ayub Khan
Federal Minister for Political Affairs
In office
19 April 2022 – 10 July 2023
President| Arif Alvi
Prime Minister| Shehbaz Sharif
Preceded by| Position Created
Federal Minister For Law and Justice
In office
31 October 2022 – 31 November 2022
President| Arif Alvi
Prime Minister| Shehbaz Sharif
Preceded by| Azam Nazeer Tarar
Succeeded by| Azam Nazeer Tarar
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan

Incumbent

Assumed office
29 February 2024
Constituency| NA-120 (Lahore-IV)
Majority| 18,921 (.2)
In office
13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
Constituency| NA-129 (Lahore-VII)
Majority| 8,142 (4.55)
In office
18 November 2002 – 31 May 2018
Constituency| NA-122 (Lahore-V)
Majority| 18,893 (E.89)
Personal details
Born|  (1954-10-17) 17 October 1954 (age 70)[1][2]
Lahore, West Punjab, Dominion of Pakistan
Nationality| Pakistani
Political party| PMLN (2001–present)
Other political
affiliations| PTI (1996-1998)
Spouse|

Reema Ayaz

(m. 1977)​

[3]
Children| 3
Alma mater| Aitchison College

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq (Punjabi, Urdu: سردار اياز صادق; born 17 October 1954) is a Pakistani politician who is currently serving as the 22nd Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, having taken oath on 1 March 2024.

Sadiq previously served as the 17th Speaker of the National Assembly from 2013 to 2018. Sadiq is also notable for overseeing voting on the motion of no-confidence against Imran Khan in April 2022; the next day, he oversaw voting for the election of the subsequent Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. He is currently a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from NA-120 (Lahore-IV), having been elected to the Assembly in every election since 2002.[4]

## Early life and education

[edit]

Sadiq was born on 17 October 1954[5][6] in Lahore into a Punjabi Arain family to Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq and Attiya Sadiq.[2] His father and his grandfather Sheikh Sardar Muhammad have both been influential local figures.[7]

He completed his education at Aitchison College, Lahore. Imran Khan, Nisar Ali Khan, Pervaiz Khattak, Sardar Akhtar Mengal and Zulfiqar Ali Magsi were among his class fellows at Aitchison College.[1][8] Sadiq received a degree in commerce from Hailey College of Punjab University in 1975.[1]

## Political career

[edit]

### Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

[edit]

Sadiq began his political career as a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the late 1990s[1] when he was a close friend of PTI chairman Imran Khan.[8] Sadiq ran for the seat of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as a candidate of PTI in 1997 Pakistani general election from Constituency PP-121 Lahore but was unsuccessful. He received 4,541 votes and lost the seat to Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N).[9]

### Pakistan Muslim League (N)

[edit]

Sadiq left PTI in 1998 owing to differences with Imran Khan[8] and joined PML (N) in 2001.[2]

Sadiq was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-122 (Lahore-V) on 2002 general election,[10][11][8] by defeating Imran Khan.[1] Sadiq claimed "it was a big victory as his leader Nawaz Sharif in exile and Pervez Musharraf, a close aide of Imran Khan at that time, in power".[8] During his tenure as the member of the National Assembly, he remained a member of the National Assembly's Standing Committees on Railways,[1] Finance and Defence Production.[2]

Sadiq was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-122 (Lahore-V) in 2008 general election.[12][11] During his tenure as the member of the National Assembly, he became the chairman of the National Assembly's Standing Committees on Railways.[1]

Sadiq was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-122 (Lahore-V) in the 2013 Pakistani general election,[11] by defeating Imran Khan.[13][1] In June 2013, Sadiq was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan.[13][14][15][16]

In 2015, Imran Khan alleged rigging in the constituency of Sadiq from where Sadiq won in 2013 election.[17] Following which the Election Commission of Pakistan de-seated Sadiq and ordered re-polling in the constituency.[18] In October 2015, Sadiq retained his National Assembly seat by defeating a PTI candidate in by-election and was re-elected to the National Assembly for the fourth time.[19][20] In November 2015, Sadiq retained its position as the speaker of the National Assembly by getting re-elected for the second time[21] and become the first person to have been elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly for the second time during the same government's tenure in Pakistan.[21]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-129 (Lahore-VII) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[22] On 15 August 2018, he was replaced by Asad Qaiser as speaker of the National Assembly.[23]

He is generally considered a soft-spoken[23] and cool-headed politician in Pakistan.[1]

In 2020, he made claims relating to the 2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes, in particular that foreign minister Qureshi was "trembling with fear" and insisted on releasing a pilot captured during the conflict, to avert an Indian invasion. This issue initiated a row, drawing sharp criticism from ISPR and the Pakistani government, terming his statements as "irresponsible" and demanding an apology. He addressed the controversy and added that his statement was misrepresented. Sadiq added that "Abhinandan had not come to Pakistan to distribute sweets; he had attacked Pakistan and it was a victory for Pakistan when his plane was shot down".[24]

Amid the April 2022 political crisis in Pakistan, when the speaker and the deputy speaker resigned, he was asked to hold voting on a no-confidence motion against the prime minister of Pakistan.[25]

## Personal life

[edit]

### Family

[edit]

Sadiq married Reema Ayaz in 1977, and has a daughter and two sons.[2]

Sadiq is a son-in-law of former Chief Justice of Lahore High Court and the First Ombudsman of Pakistan Sardar Muhammad Iqbal.[1]

### Business and philanthropy

[edit]

Sadiq is a businessman by profession.[1] He along with members of his family runs a non-profit hospital Sardar Trust Eye Hospital in Lahore, the family having also founded the Sheikh Sardar Muhammad Girls High School in Lahore after partition encouraging women education; the school was later nationalised.[1][2] It was the first Muslim Girls School established in the locality.[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Ayaz Sadiq – a profile". Dawn. Pakistan. 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
2. ^ a b c d e f "Profile of Speaker". National Assembly of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
3. ^ "Aleem Khan and Ayaz Sadiq are married to daughters of ex-LHC judges". The News International. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
4. ^ "PML-N nominates Ayaz Sadiq for NA speaker's slot". ARY News. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
5. ^ "If elections are held on time…". The News International. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
6. ^ "Detail Information". 19 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
7. ^ a b Malik, Farid (16 September 2015). "Match with Ayaz Sadiq". The Nation.
8. ^ a b c d e "I hit Imran with a hockey stick, says NA Speaker". Dawn. Pakistan. 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
9. ^ "Election Result" (PDF). Election Commission of Pakistan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
10. ^ "As Pakistan goes to polls: Take a peek at some major NA constituencies". Dawn. Pakistan. 10 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
11. ^ a b c "Imran Khan loses Lahore seat to PML-N – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
12. ^ "NA-122-Lahore-V election results". Geo News. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
13. ^ a b "PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq submits nomination papers for speaker NA". Dawn. Pakistan. 2 June 2013. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
14. ^ "Coveted posts: New speaker, his deputy in saddle – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
15. ^ "PML-N's Ayaz Sadiq elected speaker of the National Assembly – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 3 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
16. ^ "PML-Ns Sardar Ayaz elected NA speaker, Murtaza Javed deputy". Geo News. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
17. ^ "NA-122 rigging allegations: Tribunal terms Ayaz Sadiq's election null and void – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 22 August 2015. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
18. ^ "NA-122 election tribunal deseats Ayaz Sadiq, orders re-polling". Dawn. Pakistan. 22 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
19. ^ "Ayaz Sadiq takes oath as MNA". Dawn. Pakistan. 6 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
20. ^ "Ayaz Sadiq retakes NA-122, but PML-N loses provincial assembly seat to PTI". Dawn. Pakistan. 12 October 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
21. ^ a b "Ayaz Sadiq elected NA Speaker again". Dawn. Pakistan. 9 November 2015. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
22. ^ "PML (N) Sardar Ayaz Sadiq wins NA-129 election". Associated Press of Pakistan. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
23. ^ a b Wasim, Amir (17 August 2018). "PTI finally takes up reins of National Assembly". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
24. ^ Hussian, Javed (29 October 2020). "'Misleading' to link Abhinandan's release with anything other than Pakistan's mature response: DG ISPR". The Dawn. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
25. ^ "Pakistan political crisis latest updates: Khan removed as PM". Al Jazeera. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.

Political offices

Preceded by

Fahmida Mirza

|  Speaker of the National Assembly
2013 – 2018  | Succeeded by

Asad Qaiser

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Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan

* Muhammad Ali Jinnah
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* Fahmida Mirza
* Sardar Ayaz Sadiq
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