Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan

The Speaker of the National Assembly (Urdu: اسﭘيكر نيشنل اسمبلى); informally as Speaker National assembly, is the presiding official of the National Assembly of Pakistan– a lower house of the Parliament of Pakistan.^[1]

The office has its roots in 1947 and was reestablished in 1973 in accordance to the Constitution; the speaker presides over the chamber composed of people's representatives elected on the basis of universal franchise.^[2] The Speaker is Second in the line of succession to the President of Pakistan and occupies fourth position in the Warrant of Precedence, after the President, the Prime Minister and the Chairman of Senate.^[3] In addition, the Speaker is the spokesman of the National Assembly to the outside world, and is non-partisan in his approach.^[3]

To exercise the great authority that stems from the respect, affection and consideration which every Member of the House bestows upon the holder of this high office, the Speaker shows complete impartiality in the discharge of his functions.^[3] When the National Assembly is dissolved he continues in his office, till a new Speaker is elected.

Role and responsibilities[edit]

The office of Speaker of the National Assembly is created by Article 53 of the Chapter 2 in Part III of the Constitution of Pakistan:^[3]

After a general election, the National Assembly shall, at its first meeting and to the exclusion of any other business, elect from amongst its members a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker and, so often as the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the Assembly shall elect another member as Speaker or, as the case may be, Deputy Speaker.

— Article 53(1)–53(2) of the Chapter 2: The Parliament: in Part III of the Constitution of Pakistan, source^[3]

The Speakership of the National Assembly is a leadership position and the office-holder actively works to set the majority party's legislative agenda. The Speaker usually does not personally preside over debates, instead delegating the duty to members of the House from the majority party. The Speaker usually does not participate in debate and rarely votes.