Govt, opposition about to strike accord on standing committees

Government and opposition parties are nearing an agreement on the formation of standing committees of the National Assembly

By Our Correspondent

April 25, 2024

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at Parliament House on March 17, 2024. — NNI

ISLAMABAD: The government and opposition parties are nearing an agreement on the formation of standing committees of the National Assembly.

An informal meeting of chief whips and parliamentarians from different parties, including Ejaz Jhakrani, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Sahibzada Hamid Raza and Aamir Dogar, was held with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair.

The details of the meeting, which was held prior to the National Assembly session, were not made public.

During the meeting, the speaker asked the party leaders to give names for standing committee, so that the process could be completed at the earliest.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry of PMLN, on the floor of the National Assembly, said that it had been decided that independent members of Sunni Ittehad Council would get chairmanship of 10 standing committees.

Ejaz Jhakrani of PPP said that details of committees had been finalized and remaining issues would also be resolved.

Earlier, raising the issue, Izharul Hasan of MQM said that as per the Constitution, the standing committees are to be finalised within 30 days of election of the Leader of the House.

Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazir Tarar, who also holds the portfolio of Parliamentary Affairs, said that parties would get representation in standing committees as per their strength in the House, saying that by-elections had also been completed. Barrister Gohar said that there would be a meeting of government and opposition on Thursday (today) during which the remaining issues with regard to the formation of committees would be resolved. Noor Alam Khan on a point of order said that no member from the JUIF was invited to the consultation meeting for the committees. The speaker said that he had convened no meeting, rather he was just playing the role of a facilitator. “I am not in favour of forming any special committee on this issue,” he said. The defence minister said that a meeting was held on the issue and another sitting would be held on Thursday (today).