Appointment of three members of state negotiations team challenged in IHC
Appointment and constitutional status of three members of the government’s negotiating team formed to negotiate with the Taliban has been challenged in Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The petitioner Shahid Orakzai has taken the plea that no one among three members of the government’s negotiations team including Rustam Shah, Maj (r) Muhammad Aamir and Rahim Ullah Yusufzai was a member of National Assembly (NA), while as per the assembly rules and procedure, no non-elected person could become a member of any committee of the National Assembly.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security Irfan Siddiqui has not been made respondent in the petition as he is entitled to take part in NA proceedings as per Constitution. However, he is not authorised to cast vote.
Orakzai said PM has entrusted a vital matter of national security to non elected persons who have not been appointed under any federal law.
It has been further said that three members of this committee be forthwith restrained from performing any function and court should maintain that no one can become member of any committee of NA without taking oath of his membership in the assembly.
