Opp jirga says PM should step down if rigging proved

• Jirga calls for formation of judicial commission through an ordinance to probe alleged vote fraud
• Commission be bound to complete its findings within a specific time period while it should also have authority to seek assistance from any official or expert

The political jirga, tasked to bridge gap between the government and protesting parties, dispatched its new proposal to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri on Thursday.

As per the proposal, the jirga has advised protesting parties to end their sit-ins, adding that the prime minister should announce in the Parliament that he would resign if rigging in last year’s general elections was proved.

The jirga has also called for the formation of a judicial commission through an ordinance to probe the alleged vote fraud. The said commission should be bound to complete its findings within a specific time period while it should also have an authority to seek assistance from any official or expert, the proposal adds.

All the stakeholders would implement the recommendation of the judicial commission after the report, the jirga has further proposed.

The proposal came to the fore after the members of the Opposition Jirga held a meeting Thursday in Islamabad to find a way out of the political crisis.

The meeting, held at the residence of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Rehman Mailk in Islamabad, was attended by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leaders Sirajul Haq and Liaqat Baloch, Hasil Bizinjo, Kalsoom Parveen and Ghazi Gulab Jamal.

The meeting reviewed progress in government’s negotiations with PTI and PAT. The political leaders were of the view that talks should be resumed.

Later on, talking to journalists after their meetings with PTI and PAT negotiating teams in Islamabad on Thursday, members of the political jirga said that almost all issues had been “tackled satisfactorily” with the exception of definition of what constitutes rigging.

However, JI chief Sirajul Haq, the jirga leader, expressed confidence that an “honourable solution” to the political crisis would be found.

Referring to the proposal, Haq said that the jirga had prepared it with consensus and sent to the parties concerned. He said they were expecting a positive response but it seemed that the three sides were looking towards each other to take the lead.

Haq appealed to the three sides to step back from their stated positions to take the nation out of the prevailing crisis.

The political jirga members include Sirajul Haq, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Begum Kalsoom Parveen, Rehman Malik, and Ghazi Ghulab Jamal. The PTI team comprises Asad Umar and Shafqat Mahmood.