Women opposition MPs say govt robbed NCSW chairperson poll

ISLAMABAD: The women lawmakers from opposition parties on Tuesday expressed strong reservations over what they called robbing them of the position of chairperson of National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW).

Talking to journalists outside the Parliament House, the PML-N lawmaker Tahira Aurangzeb flanked by other opposition lawmakers said under the Supreme Court directions, election on the vacant seat of chairperson for NCSW was held and there were 12 members to vote including the committee chairperson.

She said six members voted in favour of Fozia Viqar, and five for PTI nominee Nilofer Bakhtiar, but the parliamentary committee chairperson Falak Naz also insisted on voting and said the voting was tied on 6-6. Tahira Aurangzeb said under the Constitution, chairperson can vote only if the voting result is tie.

However, she said the treasury members left the Parliament without declaring Fozia as winner.

Meanwhile, the PPP lawmaker Nafisa Shah also termed this episode beyond her understanding.

“In our meeting to confirm the chairperson of NCSW, 6 members voted for opposition nominee Fozia Viqar, 5 for PTI nominee Nilofar Bakhtiar. Instead of declaring Fozia Viqar as winner committee chair Sen Falak fled. What can get crazier than this?” she said in a tweet.