Alleged rigging: MPs’ body elects Khattak as chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee constituted to probing alleged rigging in general elections unanimously elected Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak as a chairman.

Syed Naveed Qamar of the PPP proposed Pervaiz Khattak’s name for the chairmanship, while PPP Senator Rehman Malik also supported Khattak’s name. The defence minister and newly elected chairman thanked the opposition and government for reposing trust in him. Following the election of the chairman, Pervaiz Khattak decided to form 8-member sub-committee for the formulation of the Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the committee that includes equal representation of four members each from the government and opposition.

Pervaiz Khattak sought four names each from the government and opposition and tasked the sub-committee to formulate the ToRs within 14 days. However, during the meeting, the members of the government and opposition appeared having difference over the name of the probe committee.

The opposition was of the opinion that the name should mention a "rigging probe" but government members pointing out that the National Assembly resolution on the issue only talks about a review of the general elections. But it was agreed between the government and opposition that the issue of rigging in the general elections would be included in the ToRs. While the PML-N member Ahsan Iqbal proposed that besides chairman, there should be co-chairman of the committee.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry remarked if there was a need to appoint then Dr Shireen Mazari be appointed as she was alone woman member in the committee. Later, talking to newsmen after the meeting, Pervaiz Khattak said the Parliamentary Committee was formed on the objections raised by the opposition on general elections 2018. “Today we have restricted the matter only to elect the chairman and matters relating to general elections,” he said.

He rejected the proposal of appointing the co-chairman of the committee saying when chairman is elected, there is no need of it. He said the sub-committee comprising 8 members was formed and asked the government and opposition to give names of four members each for the sub-committee tasked to formulate the ToRs within the time period of two weeks.

Later, talking to media outside the Parliament House, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that the committee took this decision at its first meeting today and it would decide the ToRs during its next meeting. He said that the European Union’s Election Observation Mission to Pakistan and Free and Fair Election Network have noted in their reports that general elections 2018 were held in free and fair manner.