Electoral reforms: Govt offers opposition to join parliamentary committee

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday made a formal offer to the opposition on the floor of the National Assembly for constitution of a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved a motion in the House, authorizing the speaker to constitute a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms comprising members from both government and opposition benches.

The members from the main opposition parties, including the PML-N and the PPP immediately opposed the move as they said the opposition parties have not been consulted on the issue. PML-N parliamentarian Khurram Dastgir said the objective is to take on rigging in polls at the state level and the opposition be consulted before initiating any move.

Shazia Marri of the PPP said what happened with a similar committee earlier formed and that intentions should be good before initiating any such move for electoral reforms.

On a suggestion from Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri, the minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs said he along with the party chief whip in the National Assembly and other ministers would engage the opposition parties on the issue of electoral reforms. Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said the government is trying to ensure fair elections in the future and desires to bring electoral reforms with consensus among political parties.

The House also passed two bills the Senate Secretariat Services (Amendment) Bill 2021 and the Legal Practitioners and the Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill 2021. The Senate Secretariat Services (Amendment) Bill 2021 moved by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali carries the main objective of ban absorption of deputationists in the Senate Secretariat and ban on ad hoc appointments in the Secretariat. Another provision of the bill will enable employees to serve in federal government and provincial government and national or international organizations in Pakistan.

The Constitution Amendment bill 2021 (Amendment in Articles 1, 51 and 106); the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Amendment Bill 2021; the Criminal Laws Amendment Bill 2021; the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Amendment Bill; the Code of Civil Procedure Amendment Bill; the Minimum Wages for Unskilled Workers Amendment Bill and the Provincial Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill were introduced in the House. The chair referred the bills to the standing committees concerned for deliberations. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2021 (Amendment in Article 1, 51 and 106) moved by Mohsin Dawar seeks change of name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed two bills the Senate Secretariat Services Amendment Bill 2021 and the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Amendment Bill 2020. The National Assembly also passed resolutions extending different ordinances for a further period of one hundred and twenty days. These included Special Technology Zones Authority Ordinance, Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Amendment Ordinance; Employees Old Age Benefits Amendment Ordinance; Anti-rape Investigation and Trial Ordinance; Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance and National Institute of Health Reorganization Ordinance.

The resolutions to this effect were presented by Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan. Minister for Communications Murad Saeed informed the National Assembly that the National Highway Authority (NHA) Board has sent the revised PC-1 of approach roads of Lowari Tunnel to Planning Commission after its approval.

Replying to a call attention notice raised by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali about stoppage of construction work on approach roads of Lowari Tunnel, Chitral, the minister said a special audit of the project was conducted as the project was launched in 2003 but could not be completed despite a lapse of 16 to 17 years. He said the cost of the project has witnessed a 336 per cent escalation due to extraordinary delay.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Thursday said that Pakistan People’s Party is ready to extend cooperation to the government on electoral reforms.“Our party wants smooth functioning of Parliament and is ready to cooperate on electoral reforms,” he said while talking to the newsmen on Thursday.

Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser talked with him on telephone and sought cooperation for electoral reforms and smooth functioning of Parliament. “I tell him that environment conducive is needed and my party also wants smooth functioning of Parliament and electoral reforms,” he said.

He said that the PPP wanted to create congenial environment in Parliament where everyone has a right to express himself. In reply to a question regarding voices of Mian Raza Rabbani and Mustafa Nawaz Kokhar against seeking the support from BAP for opposition leader slot, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said the PPP is a democratic party and difference of opinion is beauty of democracy. “We appreciate difference of opinion within the party,” he said.