- Dar says govt will bring out presidential ordinance for formation of judicial commission before midnight
- JC to investigate matter within 45 days of composition
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar late on Wednesday announced the signing of the agreement between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for the formation of a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in 2013 general elections.
According to the signed agreement, the judicial commission will investigate the matter within 45 days of its making.
Addressing a press conference along with PTI leaders Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Jahangir Tareen, Dar thanked all the members of the political jirga and leaders of political parties for their support. The finance minister said that the government would try to get a presidential ordinance issued in this regard before tomorrow midnight.
He said all the parliamentary parties were taken into confidence in connection with issuance of the ordinance and the draft of the government-PTI agreement was also sent to these parties.
Addressing reporters, Qureshi said the findings of the commission’s investigation into the alleged rigging of 2013 polls would help introduce reforms in the electoral process. This would increase people’s trust in the elections, he added.
The agreement was signed by Ishaq Dar from the government’s side while Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Jahangir Tareen signed it on the PTI’s behalf. Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik signed the document as a witness.
Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave the final go ahead to the draft agreement for setting up the judicial commission.
“Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar briefed the meeting about on-going talks with PTI,” said an official statement issued from PM House Islamabad after the meeting on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed overall political situation in the country.
Talking to participants of the meeting, Nawaz said the government is fully focused on resolving issues of national importance. He said PML-N government is utilising all resources to make Pakistan a stronger and prosperous country. “Our intentions are noble and resolve is firm,” he said.
The prime minister asked PML-N leaders, particularly the ministers, to play their role in providing maximum relief to the people. “Record development has always taken place during the tenures of PML-N and this process is still going on,” he claimed.
Sharif said that PML-N led government is taking all steps necessary to tackle energy crisis.
Sources said that PM Sharif also sought his party’s input on Saudi Arabia’s demand of committing Pakistani troops, and majority of the leaders were of the view that the government should provide all military support to the KSA.
The government delegation, which went to Saudi Arabia will meet the prime minister on Thursday, and apprise him of the KSA’s needs, added the sources.
Further, according to sources, the party’s consultative meeting endorsed the idea of opposition parties to call an All Parties Conference (APC) to develop a political consensus on the government’s expected decision of sending troops to the Kingdom.
The prime minister, keeping in view the timing for KSA’s needs, would call the APC to announce the government’s decision, added the sources.
