PTI rules out Shahbaz as head of PAC

ISLAMABAD: As the government plainly rejected the name of opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to head the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is set to put forwarrd the name of former NA Speaker Syed Fakhar Imam to lead the parliament’s accountability forum.

In the meeting of the PTI's Parliamentary Party, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the name of Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif to head the Public Accounts Committee was rejected on the basis of NAB cases and it was decided to put forward the name of a non-controversial person with integrity for the job. According to sources, the PTI government has decided to propose the name of Syed Fakhar Imam for the parliament’s accountability forum within the next few days.

Sources said the PTI government will take up the issue with the opposition parties separately. However, the opposition pressed for its right to have the chairmanship of the PAC. They said that if they are denied their right, they will not give names for the PAC and other standing committees. All the main opposition parties, including the PML-N, PPP and MMA, are on same page on this matter.

APP adds: The Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said the opposition should give another name for the chairman of Public Accounts Committee in place of Shahbaz Sharif. Talking to media persons here after the meeting of Parliamentary Committee of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he said, “”We can sit and wait for the opposition to name an alternate candidate as we want to run the parliament but the opposition does not.” He said Shahbaz Sharif''s name for the PAC chairman is controversial. “We have suggested the name of Syed Fakhar Imam and the opposition should give some other name,” he said.