Alleged rigging: NA speaker notifies 30-member MPs body

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Asad Qaisar, on Monday announced a 30-member Parliamentary Committee to probe the allegations of rigging in the general election 2018. The committee comprises 20 members from the National Assembly and 10 members from the Senate with equal members of the government and opposition from both the houses of Parliament.

The 15 members from the government are Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Science and Technology Senator Azam Khan Swati, Malik Amir Dogar from PTI, Minister for Housing and Works Tariq Bashir Cheema from PML-Q, Khalid Hussain Magsi from BAP, Sardar Akhtar Mengal from BNP, Syed Aminul Haq from MQM, Ghous Bux Khan Mehar from GDA while from the Senate Senator Muhammad Ali Khan Saif of the MQM, Senator Sarfraz Bugti from BAP, Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak and Senator Hidayatullah from the PTI.

While 15 members from the opposition are Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Ahsan Iqbal, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah Khan from PML-N, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Khursheed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar from PPP, Amir Haider Khan Hoti from ANP, Abdul Wasey from MMA while from the Senate Muhammad Javed Abbasi and Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo from PML-N, Senator Usman Kakar from PkMAP, Senator Rehman Malik from PPP and Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri from MMA.

According to the notification, the NA Speaker has been authorised to make changes in composition of the committee as and when so required, in consultation with the Senate chairman and leaders of the house and opposition respectively.

The committee has been tasked to finalise the Terms of Reference (ToRs) with regard to the allegations of rigging in the General Elections 2018. The committee was tasked to take further steps as mandated in the ToRs and would submit a report within such time as agreeable by the committee.

It is expected that the NA Speaker Asad Qaiser will convene the inaugural meeting of the committee within the next few days, most probably after the opposition requisitioned the session of the National Assembly that would commence on Wednesday. The committee will elect its chairman in its maiden meeting and it is expected that Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak will head the committee.