PML-N finalises names of chairpersons of NA standing committees

LAHORE: The PML-N has finalised the names for the standing committees’ chairpersons who would be elected most likely in the next session of the National Assembly.

A total of 38 standing committees will be formed under the current National Assembly. Each committee will have 20 members. A chairperson is elected by the committee from one of its members.

The number of members represented in each committee is formulated through a weighted percentage of their total National Assembly members. The PML-N, based on its numbers, would get a share of five members in each committee.

Similarly, the number of committees that a particular political party member can chair is also based on its total MNAs. Under the current scenario, the ruling PTI would chair 17 committees followed by the PML-N nine, PPP six, MMA two and MQM-P and BAP one each.

Sources told The News that the PML-N had finalised the nominees for its share of the nine committees. These are Javed Latif, Moeen Wattoo, Rao Ajmal, Sheikh Fayyaz, Iftikhar Nazeer, Rana Shamim, Sajid Mehdi, Khalid Javed Warraich and Dr Ibadullah. It appears from the finalised names that the party had chosen to grant these positions to those that had not been given major portfolios in their government tenure.

It is, however, yet to be decided that which PML-N MNA will be chairing which committee, as it is subjected to the committees allocated to the opposition, which had not been decided yet. However, the sources said the PTI government intended to follow the conventional format that was prevalent during the last government. The PML-N has expressed its preference for the standing committees on water, railways and energy in addition to others.