ISLAMABAD: 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,” Sadiq 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”. DNA
