Alleged rigging: MPs’ body approves rules unanimously

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on Election 2018 has unanimously approved the rules and procedures for the committee while the terms of reference for the committee would be finalised in the next meeting.

The Parliamentary Committee on Elections 2018 held its meeting under its chairman, Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak at the Parliament House. It was decided that the name of the Parliamentary Committee on Elections 2018 would be changed to a Special Committee and in this regard the notification of the committee would also be amended.

It was decided in the meeting that the initial sessions of the committee would be held in-camera and would be open later on. The Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said there is nothing to hide and the meeting should be open. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan has more powers and if he had the power, he would not allow the formation of the committee. Rana Tanveer Hussain of the PML-N said there were shortcomings in the election process and the committee is proper place to give recommendations for bringing improvement in the election process with removing the legal lacunae. The Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood presented the report of the sub-committee of the Parliamentary Committee and told the committee that the sub-committee is unable to reach consensus on the ToRs so the proposed ToRs of the government and opposition would be presented to the committee to decide on it. It was decided that the committee would examine and decide on the ToRs in the next meeting that will be held in the second week of February.

The Chairman Senate’s Committee on Interior Senator Rehman Malik also presented the report of his committee on the allegations of rigging in the election. Rehman Malik will brief the committee on its report in the next meeting scheduled for the second week of February.