PARLIAMENTARIANS TO MEET AGAIN TODAY FOR TALKS
Aparliamentary committee, constituted to arrive at a consensus on the appointment of two members of Pakistan’s Election Commission, yesterday failed to make headway leading to fears that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) might be rendered dysfunctional if the deadlock persists.
The Constitution of Pakistan requires of the government and opposition parties to agree on the names of the chief election commissioner, and other members, within 45 days of the posts falling vacant.
Presently, the ECP is working with only three members — chairman Rtd Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan and two members — Rtd Justice Altaf Ebrahim Qureshi (Punjab) and Irshad Qaiser (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
Raza Khan is completing his five-year term and retiring on December 7, 2019.
According to the
Election
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Commission Act, it is mandatory for the ECP to work with at least three members. After the chief election commissioner’s retirement, the commission will comprise only two members.
However, yesterday’s meeting ended without any breakthrough on the issue of vacant seats from Sindh and Balochistan.
The committee will, however, meet again at the Parliament House today to resume deliberations. National Assembly
Speaker Asad Qaisar and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had forwarded six names, three each from Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif to the parliamentary forum.
Yesterday, the parliamentary committee meeting chaired by Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari saw no breakthrough as the government and the Opposition members stuck to their names.
Meanwhile, there was no deliberation over the name of the chief election commissioner in yesterday’s meeting.