Islamabad: Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, engaged with media representatives at Parliament House, addressing issues ranging from the Palestinian conflict to opposition behavior in parliamentary sessions. Sadiq announced his invitation to a high-level conference on Palestine, emphasizing Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause.

Sadiq criticized the opposition for politicizing critical national issues, highlighting their actions during a recent visit by a U.S. congressional delegation. Despite invitations, opposition members, including Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Whip Malik Amir Dogar, chose to walk out from National Assembly sessions. The U.S. delegation reportedly refrained from commenting on Pakistan’s domestic politics.

On canal issues, Sadiq noted active participation from over 30 National Assembly members, praising Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar for articulating the government’s stance. He mentioned resolutions submitted by both the Pakistan Peoples Party and the opposition on the matter.

Sadiq pointed out the government’s responsibility to maintain quorum in the House and mentioned measures to safeguard parliamentary rights, such as issuing production orders for detained MNAs. He emphasized that dialogue is crucial for addressing national concerns and highlighted the importance of the Question Hour for public accountability.

The Speaker assured that the functioning of the National Assembly is a shared responsibility between the government and opposition. In response to opposition concerns over agenda exclusions, Sadiq confirmed that a detailed explanation had been provided.