Electoral, institutional reforms: Awan invites Opp for dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan on Saturday invited the opposition for a dialogue on comprehensive electoral and institutional reforms. “The government wants a dialogue with the opposition on political and democratic stabilization, for provision of speedy justice, comprehensive electoral, institutional and judicial reforms and right to vote to overseas Pakistanis,” said Awan in an interview on Saturday. In a special talk with The News/Jang, Awan while unveiling the agenda of dialogue with the opposition said transparency in the electoral process is necessary. He said the government aims to bring such electoral reforms that could eliminate the interference of money in Senate elections. He said Senate elections have turned into a joke and the government wants to bring such electoral reforms that strengthen people’s confidence in democratic institutions. He said the government aims to introduce legislation in the upcoming session of the NA, commencing from Monday (March 29), to bring transparency in Senate elections.

‘We ask the opposition to come to dialogue with the government for the passage of pending legislation and government introduced bills and we are ready to accept the opposition suggestions for the improvement of the bills,” he said. He said the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis and e-voting will strengthen the political and democratic system. The provision of speedy justice is a top priority of the government and for this purpose, the government is bringing the bill for judicial reforms. “Similarly, we are working on bringing legislation for institutional reforms, under which decisions at the bureaucratic level will be made without any unnecessary delays to resolve people’s issues,” he said.

In reply to a question, he said the PPP has a stance to strengthen the democratic and parliamentary system through parliament and now it should come forward to cooperate in legislation. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan desired early legislation in the parliament and in this regard, all ministries and divisions have been activated.