- Zahid Hamid says consensus could not be reached over shortening NA tenure to four years
A sub-committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms has failed to develop consensus on multiple issues.
The in-camera meeting of the sub-committee was held in the Parliament House on Tuesday with Convener Zahid Hamid in the chair.
The committee gave its approval to organising Local Bodies (LB) election within 120 days of the completion of local governments (LGs) terms, besides ensuring that polls are held in Islamabad (along with cantonment areas).
Talking to media after the meeting, Zahid Hamid said that a consensus could not be reached over shortening NA tenure to four years as some political parties insist to keep it at five-years. He said that another suggestion to increase seats for minorities also came under discussion, but some members said that prior to the census it would be difficult to estimate the population of minorities and the issue should be delayed until the next census in the country.
Zahid Hamid said that consensus could not be achieved about the election of women on reserved seats through direct elections. He said that the issue was referred to the committee by Leader of Opposition in NA, Syed Khurshid Shah.
