Deadlock persists between govt and opposition on name to head Public Accounts Committee

ISLAMABAD: As almost all the standing Committees of the National Assembly get functional with electing their Chairmen yet the main Committee of the National Assembly that assign for the Parliamentary accountability pf the government—Public Accounts Committee—despite the passage of 38 days it was still non-functional with failing to elect its Chairman due to the deadlock between the government and opposition on the name of person to head the committee.

The notification for the formation of the Public Accounts Committee was issued on June 12.

The Opposition in te National Assembly led by PTI backed Sunni Ittehad Council has nominated Sheikh Waqas Akram for the post of Chairman Public Accounts Committee while the government is insisted that the opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan should forwarded the panel of four members for picking one of them as Chairman PAC.

The deadlock continued between the government and opposition on the name of Chairman PAC and both did not want to show the flexibility on this issue.

Sources said the government has suggested the names of Amir Dogar, Riaz Fatiyana, Sanaullah Mastikhel and Khawaja Sheraz Mehmood to head the PAC as Chairman however, SIC insisted on the name of Sheikh Waqas Akram as a Chairman PAC.

If the government and opposition deadlock persisted and if the elections for the post of Chairman PAC was held then the SIC will not able to elect its Chairman PAC as the in the committee of 22 members, the government and its allies in are in majority with a total tally of 13 members while the opposition including SIC, independent and JUI(F) has only 9 members.

However, both government and opposition accused each other for delay to elect the Chairman PAC, which is highest parliamentary body for the accountability of the government.

Sources said Chief whip of the PNL-N in the National Asembly, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry is likely to write another letter toChief Whip of SIC in the National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar to send a panel of four members out of which one name be selected for the post of Chairman PAC.

The Public Accounts Committee includes 7 members of the Muslim League-N, 5 members of the PPP, 6 members of the Sunni Ittehad Council, while JUI and MQM have one member each, an independent member is also part of the committee.

Among the members of PML-N are Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Sardar Yusuf, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Shazra Mansab, Raza Hayat Haraj and Rana Qasim Noon, from PPP include Murtaza Mehmood, Shazia Marri, Hussain Tariq, Naveed Qamar and Hina Rabbani Khar from PTI backed SIC Sheikh Waqas Akram, Sanaullah Mastikhel, Riyaz Fatyana, Malik Amir Dogar and Khawaja Shiraz Mehmood of the Sunni Unity Council are members of the committee while Opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan joins PAC as independent member, MQM’s Moin Anwar and JUI’s Shahida Begum are also part of the Public Accounts Committee and the Finance Minister is an ex-officio member of the committee.