Govt, opposition agree on ECP members, CEC

ISLAMABAD: The government and the opposition are close to reaching a consensus on key appointments in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and it is likely that both may reach a consensus on the name of Sikandar Sultan Raja, who has emerged as the hot favorite for the post of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

It is expected that the final decision about the names for the post of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would be finalised and an announcement is expected to be made today (Tuesday) after a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Under the agreed formula between the government and opposition, the ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan would be picked by the opposition-suggested panel while the CEC from the government-proposed panel.

In the government and opposition meeting in the Speaker’s Chamber at the Parliament House prior to meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and ECP members, both had informally finalised the name of Nisar Durrani as ECP member from Sindh and Shah Mehmood Jatoi from Balochistan but the final decision about who will head the constitutional office from the panel suggested by the government and opposition would be taken after consultation in the parliamentary committee, which is expected to be meet again today (Tuesday).

A meeting between the government and opposition was held at the Speaker’s Chamber and was attended by Khawaja Asif, former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Ms Shiza Fatima and Shahida Akhtar Ali from opposition while Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak represented the government along with Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar.

Earlier in the day, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and President PML-N Shahbaz Sharif on Monday responded to the letter of Prime Minister Imran Khan and forwarded fresh names of Irfan Qadir, Ikhlaq Tarar and Nasir Mehmood Khosa for CEC.

With the exchange of fresh names between the government and opposition, sources hinted both were close to picking the name of new Chief Election Commissioner in a meeting of Parliamentary Committee scheduled to be held today (Thursday).

In the new panel, Shahbaz Sharif gave a fresh name of ex-attorney general Irfan Qadir proposed by the PPP, while removing the name of ex-foreign secretary Jalil Abbass Jillani from the panel.

Responding to the letter of the prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif by proposing three names for the CEC stated that he was sending these names for meaningful consultation as the matter had been pending since long and they wanted to resolve this issue.