Another session of parliamentary body on ECP members remains futile

ISLAMABAD: Another session of the parliamentary body on the appointment of two provincial members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) concluded without an agreement between treasury and opposition on the postings, ARY NEWS reported.

However, an informal sub-committee has been formed comprising of two members each from the opposition and treasury to decide on the appointments.

Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar would represent the government in the sub-committee while PML-N’s Khawaja Saad Rafique and PPP’s Raja Pervaiz Ashraf would represent the opposition.

On November 24, it was reported that the Parliamentary committee on appointment of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has reached a consensus on the name for the Punjab member.

The parliamentary body met with Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari in the chair and according to sources, a consensus is likely to be made on the name of Punjab ECP member.

“Raja Amir’s name is likely to be finalized for the ECP member from Punjab,” they said adding that his name was proposed by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The sources further shared that a division was also created among the PTI members in the committee over whether a Punjab or a KP member should be from the prime minister’s proposed list.

Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said that the KP member should be from the PTI list while Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry supported PTI nominated member from Punjab.