Electoral reforms: Speaker plays key role in breaking deadlock

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar has played a vital role to break the deadlock between the government and opposition on electoral reforms.

According to sources, in the meeting of the parliamentary representatives from the treasury and the opposition who met with the Speaker in Parliament House Tuesday, the opposition showed flexibility with agreeing on the meaningful dialogue on electoral reforms after the government backed out from its plan of convening a joint session of the parliament for electoral reforms.

Sources said National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar suggested a middle path of formation of the parliamentary committee for electoral reforms amid constant pressure from the opposition and aggressive response of the government. Parliamentary sources said it was decided that government will no longer convene a joint meeting after opposition agrees on the formation of parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.

In the meeting of the parliamentary representatives from the treasury and the opposition with the Speaker, it was agreed that a committee comprising members from both the houses would be constituted to work on various issues related to electoral reforms. It was also decided that motions would be moved in both the houses for formation of the committee. The opposition will present its proposals on electoral reforms in parliamentary committee. The Speaker will write a letter to all the parliamentary leaders to nominate their members for the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.