ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) nominee Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected to the post of Speaker National Assembly on Monday.

Sadiq was elected Speaker after he bagged 258 votes in a secret ballot by members of the newly elected National Assembly.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaharyar Afridi received 31 votes while Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) S.A. Iqbal Qadri bagged 23 votes.

“Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has secured more votes than the aggregate votes secured by the other candidates,” said outgoing speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza.

Earlier after submitting his nomination papers for the post of speaker, Sadiq said if and once elected, he would strive to run the house in an impartial manner.

Meanwhile, PML-N’s nominated Murtaza Javed Abbasi has been elected for the post of deputy speaker in a secret ballot. Abbasi secured 258 votes, same number of votes Sadiq secured for the election of the NA speaker.

MQM’s candidate Kishwer Zehra bagged 23 while PTI’s Munazza Hassan managed 31 votes out of total 312 polled votes.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) withdrew its candidates, Nawab Yousuf Talpur and Ghulam Rasool Koreja, at the last minute in support of the PML-N’s speaker and deputy speaker candidates.

Keeping in view the party position, elections for the offices of the prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker are merely be a formality since the PML-N has acquired more than a simple majority in the 342-member National Assembly with a number of independents having joined it.