NA special panel to probe polls matters

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Tuesday passed a resolution authorising the chair to constitute a special committee of the House to probe into the July 25 election matters.

The special committee of the National Assembly will be constituted in consultation with the Leader of the House Imran Khan and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif.

Headed by a government nominee, the committee will have equal representation of government and opposition members. The nominee will be picked and announced by the prime minister.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan presented the resolution for formation of special committee following an agreement between the government and opposition in a meeting held at the lobby during the session.

Prior to moving the resolution in the House, PML-N MNA Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that the committee should have the power to summon anyone to carry out its task. PPP legislator Shazia Atta Mari said the committee should have equal representation of government and opposition members and its chairman should be from the opposition.

Responding to the points of Ahsan Iqbal and Shazia Mari, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the committee will be fully authorised.

He said the PTI had nothing to hide, as it believed in strengthening democratic norms and values. Qureshi said transparency will not be compromised under any circumstances. He said the goal of both the government and opposition benches was to ensure free and fair election.

Syed Naveed Qamar and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf of Pakistan People’s Party and Khurram Dastagir of PML-N also desired that the committee head should be from the opposition.

Responding to the opposition members’ demand, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the committee was being constituted on the special directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan which showed his large-heartedness. He said Imran Khan had demanded opening of just four constituencies [in the wake of 2013 general elections] but the PTI had to protest for it for four long years. He said the government had willingly accepted the demand of opposition for constitution of a committee.

Taking the floor, Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari said the opposition benches should not doubt the government’s intention.

Later after the agreement, Qureshi announced that the government and opposition had agreed on formation of a special committee to probe the alleged rigging.

"The government and opposition will have equal representation in the committee," he assured.

Qureshi further said the committee chairman will be announced by the government after consultation with PM Imran.

"The committee will only comprise NA members and no senator," he added. Speaker Asad Qaiser said the committee will be constituted as per rules.

Geo adds: Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have welcomed the government’s decision to form a parliamentary body to probe into the July 25 election matters.

In a statement, he said the formation of special committee in line with his demand was commendable.

Shahbaz expressed the hope that things will move forward now and the National Assembly proceedings too will move ahead without wasting time.

Talking to media in Islamabad on Tuesday, Bilawal said their demand was that the opposition should have the chairmanship of the committee, adding that the PTI government should have accepted the opposition’s demand if it had no fears.