In wake of the changing political scenario, the ruling PPP and main opposition PML-N on Monday agreed on the proposed nominees for the reconstitution of the parliamentary committee for the formation of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The reconstituted body would meet on June 1. The decision was made after the PML-Q leadership decided to join the treasury benches after forming an alliance with the PPP. PPP Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah called on PML-N’s Opposition Leader in the NA, Nisar Ali Khan and finalised the committee’s nominees, as well as adjustments in parliamentary committee on the appointment of judges. He also met PML-N leader Shaikh Aftab Ahmed, deciding to accommodate MNAs from other political parties, including the PML-Q and the JUI-F in the parliamentary committee. Under the agreed formula, the PPP would have three MNAs and the PML-N would have one more member in both standing committee, as both had five and three members, respectively, earlier. Later, Shah told reporters that both parties had agreed to reconstitute the committee. Under the decision, two changes had been made in the committee. PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq would replace PML-Q’s Haroon Akhtar Khan, taking the number of PML-N members in the committee to five, while Chaudhry Ghayas Mela of the PML-Q would also be inducted into the committee. The first meeting of the committee has been called on June 1, he added
Shah said the opposition would be given representation in the parliamentary committee for ECP in line with the constitution. “As the PML-Q has become part of the government, therefore, it will get less representation. Five members of the committee would be taken from PML-N,” he said. Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri would represent the JUI-F in the committee, Shah added. He said Senator Sabir Baloch of the PPP had been withdrawn from the parliamentary committee on the appointment of judges and PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had been given representation in his place. The decision hints at the fact that the government is adamant not to recognise the PML-Q Likeminded group as an opposition entity and the dissident group would be treated as a part of the PML-Q. The committee has been reconstituted to form the new ECP per the provisions in the 18th Amendment. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had forwarded 12 names to Nisar Ali Khan to and sought his advice on the matter.
