PPP welcomes decision of agreeing over Shehbaz’s name for PAC chairmanship

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has welcomed incumbent government’s decision of agreeing over name of Shehbaz Sharif for the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), ARY News reported on Thursday.

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the spokesperson of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his statement issued here today said, matter of PAC chairmanship was resolved on Bilawal’s suggestion.

“PPP welcomes the decision of the PTI-led federal government of green signaling the name of Shehbaz Sharif for PAC Chairmanship,” Bilawal’s spokesperson said.

“Bilawal Bhutto rejected government’s offer of naming him as PAC Chairman,” said Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, adding Pakistan People’s Party has always safeguarded parliamentary norms.

Earlier in the day, PML-N stalwart and former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had also hailed the PTI-led federal government’s decision to agree to the name of opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif for the chairmanship of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

Speaking in the lower house of Parliament, he said treasury members’ role to break the deadlock over the PAC chairman’s appointment is laudable. He thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for reviewing his position on the issue.

Mr Sadiq had said the PAC only discusses audit paras and it is not NAB, FIA or any other investigation agency and added the government enjoys majority in the committee and its chairman has only one vote.

He said Shahbaz Sharif had a clear stance that he will not chair the meeting in which the audit paras of the previous government are discussed. He hoped that the Parliament’s committees will be formed soon in order to compensate the loss of delay.

After weeks of foot-dragging, the PTI government on Thursday finally agreed to the name of Shehbaz Sharif for the chairmanship of the all-powerful committee of the Parliament.

Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the decision was taken in the best interest of Pakistan and Parliament.