16th National Assembly year completes with saving of more than One Billion Rupees of public exchequer and with successful passage of 51 bills including the 26th constitutional Amendment
Islamabad; The completion of the 1st Parliamentary year of the 16th National Assembly marks a significant milestone in the parliamentary and legislative history of the country. The National Assembly as per vision of Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has made remarkable strides in lawmaking with the successful passage or 40 government bills and 11 private members’ bills, while 36 government bills and 6 private members’ bills became acts. Furthermore, 13 sessions of the National Assembly were held and 130 days of parliamentary proceedings were completed. In addition to this, 26 resolutions were adopted during the first parliamentary year and 1059 starred & 264 unstarred questions were answered by Ministries. Moreover, 69 Calling Attention Notices and 4 Motions under rule 259 were discussed in the House. During the Budget Session of Financial year 2024-2025, Annual Budget for the year 2024-25 was also passed by the National Assembly after thorough debate and incorporation of the amendments proposed by the Members of the National Assembly in the Finance Bill. One of the most notable milestones was the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill, which aimed at judicial reforms and reinforcing parliamentary supremacy. Other important legislation includes the Digital Nation Pakistan Act, 2025, which aims to enhance Pakistan’s digital economy, and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, which updates cybersecurity and digital crime regulations
During the first Parliamentary Year of the current National Assembly, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, conducted the proceedings of the House with impartiality playing a pivotal role as a bridge between the opposition and the government in the legislative process of public importance. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq gave special attention to the Question Hour to ensure that the public problems are being highlighted and resolved. During the Question Hour, when important public-related questions went unanswered, he summoned the secretaries of the relevant ministries, reprimanding them and instructing them to provide a response to each question in the House. The Speaker’s Office became a center for political activities during the first parliamentary year. He reaffirmed his commitment to keeping his doors always open for Members of the National Assembly, particularly the opposition. Moreover, during the first parliamentary year the treasury benches were given 71 Hours of floor time in the House and the Opposition Benches were given 66 hours of floor time in the House, which is much more than their strength in the House. This is a reflection of Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq’s impartiality as custodian of the House.
In addition to its legislative accomplishments, the National Assembly has made substantial progress in improving the efficiency and accountability of its administrative functions. Under the leadership of Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the National Assembly Finance Committee has approved a series of policy initiatives aimed at optimizing the Secretariat’s operations. The ongoing process of “right-sizing” the National Assembly Secretariat is being carried out in three phases. As of now, the first two phases have been successfully implemented, resulting in the abolition of 220 non-essential posts within grades 1 to 19. This reform has led to significant cost savings, with an annual reduction of over 563 million rupees in public expenditure. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has also set ambitious targets, envisioning savings of 1 billion rupees annually as the third phase of reforms is rolled out. These steps are part of a broader effort to streamline the NA Secretariat’s operations and ensure its financial sustainability while promoting transparency and accountability in the use of public funds. The first phase of administrative reforms saw the abolition of 90 non-essential posts, which resulted in an annual saving of 255.84 million rupees. The second phase, which removed 130 non-essential posts, has resulted in additional savings of 30.75 million rupees. These significant cost reductions underscore the National Assembly’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring taxpayer money is utilized judiciously. Under the special directions of Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the transformation process to make the Parliament building a national symbol has begun, with a focus on the complete digitalization of Parliament.
As he marks his first year in office, Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has driven a transformative parliamentary agenda, championed the rights of women, children, and youth, and advanced Pakistan’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A hallmark of his leadership has been the revitalization and expansion in the provincial and legislative assemblies of key parliamentary bodies, including: Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) – Advocating for gender equality, legislative reforms, and greater female representation in decision-making, Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) – Strengthening legislative action and policy interventions for child protection and empowerment, Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) – Promoting cross-party collaboration, capacity building, and provincial-level engagement for emerging legislators, Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs – Advancing Pakistan’s global development commitments through inclusive and equitable policies. While upholding the parliamentary traditions and rules, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has spearheaded the process of formation of 37 National Assembly Standing Committee giving representation to all political parties. 233 meetings of the standing committees were held and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of previous committee were reviewed. Under his stewardship, these forums have remained highly active, organizing policy dialogues, legislative workshops, public consultations, and international engagements. The establishment of provincial forums/caucuses have further broadened participation, ensuring that legislative initiatives address grassroots concerns. a
The commitment to enhancing parliamentary cooperation and dialogue is evident in the successful hosting of the 18th Speakers’ Conference at Parliament House in December 2024. This prestigious event, which had been delayed for a decade, brought together speakers and presiding officers from Pakistan’s provincial and legislative bodies to deliberate on strengthening legislative practices and improving governance across the country. Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, who had previously spearheaded the 17th Speakers’ Conference in 2014, played a pivotal role in organizing this significant event. The conference not only allowed for the exchange of valuable ideas and experiences but also helped forge stronger relationships among the various legislative institutions of Pakistan, ensuring a more unified approach to legislative development. The Islamabad Declaration, adopted at the end of the 18th Speakers’ Conference, reaffirmed the collective commitment to constitutional integrity, fiscal responsibility, and citizen-centric governance.
At the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, emphasized the vital role of democracy, peace, and the rule of law in global development. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful dialogue and highlighted the importance of Parliamentary Friendship