’Bond of respect is greater than politics’: NA speaker again stresses need for dialogue with opposition

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq again ostensibly made an offer of talks to the opposition, telling a group of parliamentarians visiting him on Friday that dialogue was the way to resolve issues.

He made similar offers to facilitate dialogue between the government and the opposition, the PTI, in the past as well. But, no substantial headway has been made so far, and differences between the two sides largely remain unresolved.

A handout issued by the NA Secretariat today said Sadiq met with opposition members of both houses of Parliament in his chamber in Parliament House soon after the adjournment of the NA session due to lack of quorum.

The visiting opposition members included Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Faisal Javed, former NA speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. MNAs Iqbal Afridi, Atif Khan, Sardar Latif Khosa and Jamal Ahsan Khan.

“Our bond of brotherhood and mutual respect is greater than politics. I have been in contact with you brothers since 2014. Politics does not last a lifetime — it ends eventually,” said the speaker according to the handout.

Sadiq said the members of Parliament “should have a relationship that lasts throughout life”.

The speaker further stated that he had always advocated for dialogue, stressing that dialogue was the means to resolve issues.

PTI’s Barrister Gohar, during the meeting, raised the issue of PTI founder Imran Khan’s family members not being allowed to meet the incarcerated leader, said the statement.

It added that the opposition members “appreciated” the speaker’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.

More to follow