Judicial commission next week, govt, PTI agree

ISLAMABAD: The government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday reached an agreement on four points for the formation of a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging in the 2013 general election. A presidential ordinance to this effect will be issued next week.
This was announced in a press conference jointly addressed by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen at the Punjab House.
Earlier, the two sides held a meeting in which they reached the agreement.The PTI had been protesting against, what it calls, the government’s unwillingness to order a probe into the alleged rigging.
Ishaq Dar told reporters that the PTI had shown flexibility on the formation of the judicial commission, leading to the development.The formation of the commission, due next week, will also pave the way for the return of PTI parliamentarians to the National Assembly.
“There were differences over only a few words on the judicial commission. The copies of the agreement will soon be sent to all the political parties, which were also keen to resolve the issue. The government also showed sincerity to sort out the differences, while the Political Jirga also played an important role in reaching the agreement,” said Dar.
PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said elections in Pakistan had been a question mark and there was a need for devising such a system that must be trusted by all.“The aim of these talks is to ensure a transparent election in the future. Differences in politics are always sorted out through talks. The formation of the judicial commission will ensure fair and transparent elections in future.
“We are all bound to respect the law and the Constitution, and the purpose behind the formation of the commission is to ensure fair elections in the country,” said Qureshi.
PTI Chairman Imran Khancountry,” said Qureshi.Meanwhile, the Awami National Party (ANP) leader Zahid Khan has termed the agreement ‘collusion between the two parties’ and warned of opposing any legislation on the election reforms if the ANP’s reservations were not addressed.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan welcomed the agreement and said it would be for the fist time in the country’s history that the ‘rigging’ would be investigated.He said every election was rigged after 1970 polls. He thanked all those party workers who attended the sit-in till December 16 and said they had achieved the success in shape of formation of the judicial commission.