National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Monday that the opposition had not yet made formal contact for initiating talks with the government.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media, according to a handout issued by the NA Secretariat. It quoted him as saying that the “opposition had not yet made any formal contact to initiate a dialogue”.
“My role in the talks is only that of a facilitator,” he said.
Sadiq further stated that the committee system in the lower house of Parliament was fully functional as per constitutional requirements, adding that he was “completely independent” in his position.
On the topic of the appointment of the NA opposition leader, Sadiq said that four letters had been sent to the opposition’s chief whip in this regard. He said that after the fourth letter, the opposition had submitted a certified copy of their decision.
“The constitutional process for the appointment of the next opposition leader will be initiated in the next parliamentary session,” he said.
He added that the process will move forward “after checking and verification of the signatures of the opposition members”.
Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had reiterated his offer for talks with the opposition but also emphasised that dialogue between the two sides could only proceed on “legitimate matters”.
Subsequently, at a recent national conference organised by the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) opposition alliance, participants had agreed that the door for dialogue must never be closed in a democracy.
The same day, political leaders, including ruling PML-N stalwarts, from across the spectrum called for dialogue and restraint to achieve stability in the country, saying that political confrontation was causing instability and violence.
However, the PTI later said that it would not engage in negotiations with the federal government, with the party’s Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram saying the stance was taken following the instructions of party founder Imran Khan.
Last week, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah had stated that “confidence-building measures” between five major players in the country would improve the overall political situation.
Bangladesh visit
The speaker also recalled his recent visit to Bangladesh for the funeral of the former prime minister of the country, Khaleda Zia. Sadiq and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had shaken hands during the visit, marking the first high-level contact between Pakistani and Indian officials since the military conflict in May 2025.
“The Pakistani delegation received an unusually warm welcome by the people of Bangladesh,” Sadiq said.
He said that the Indian minister “came to greet him and shook his hand”.
Sadiq recalled that he also met with the country’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, terming the meeting “pleasant”.
He said the two “reached an agreement for the promotion of parliamentary and public relations” between the two countries during the meeting.
He further said that “he will always remember the love he received from the people of Bangladesh”.
