Heads of over a dozen NA standing committees elected

ISLAMABAD: With the election of over dozen heads of different standing committees of the National Assembly, the committees are once again going to be functional after a lull of two months.

The various committees of the National Assembly remained dysfunctional after the regime change as the PTI lawmakers submitted en-masse resignations and some of the heads of the committees were given the portfolios in the new coalition governmnent.

The committees, which heads were elected by the members of the committees, include Interior, Planning and Special Initiatives, Information and Broadcasting, Economic Affairs, Finance, Industries and Production, States and Frontier Regions, Commerce, Law and Justice, Housing and Works, Human Rights, Information Technology, National Health Services and Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.

Khalid Hussain Magsi was elected as chairman standing committee on Planning and Special Initiatives, Ahmed Hussain Deharr as chairman Interior committee, Javeria Zafar Aheer as chairperson Information and Broadcasting committee, Mian Najeeb Ud Din Awasi as chairman Economic Affairs Division committee, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah as chairman Industries and Production committee, Muhammad Jamal Ud Din as chairman States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) committee, Raza Rabbani Khar as chairman Commerce committee, Ch. Mehmood Bashir Virk as chairman law and Justice committee, Dr Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto as chairperson Human Rights committee, Khan Muhammad Jamali as chairman Information Technology and Telecommunication committee, Afzal Khan Dhandla as chairman National Health Services and Regulations committee, Sardar Riaz Muhammad Mazari as chairman Power committee, Qaisar Ahmed Sheikh as chairman Finance committee, Aamir Talal Gopang as chairman Petroleum committee, Ibadullah Khan as chairman Housing and Works committee and Syed Imran Ahmad Shah as chairman Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony committee.

The leading slots of different standing committees were awarded after an understanding was developed within the coalition partners as well as dissident group of the PTI. As per understanding, the chairman slots of Interior, Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology and Telecommunication, National Health Services and Regulations, Power and Petroleum committees were given to dissident group of the PTI. While the chairmanship of standing committee on Planning and Development was awarded to Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a collation partner of the government. Besides, the PPP got chairman slots of three standing committees, JUI (F), 01 and the PMLN, 04.