Sharif, Shah meet today over CEC appointment

The two leaders will likely to meet at 4:30 pm today at Prime Minister House in the federal capital Islamabad.

The government and the opposition are expected to finalize their consultations over the appointment of the new CEC in the meeting scheduled today.

The date for the meeting was decided during a telephonic conversation between the two leaders. The meeting coincides with the fourth deadline set by the Supreme Court to fill the top election office which has been lying vacant for over 16 months after resignation of the former CEC Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim in 2013.

Syed Khursheed Shah in a media talk yesterday hoped that they would succeed in resolving the issue which had already been delayed.

The apex court after the expiry of the third deadline on Nov 25, had set until Dec 1 for the appointment of the CEC and warned it would withdraw on Dec 5 its judge Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali who is Acting CEC.

Supreme Court hearing

Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt on the hearing on Monday informed the Supeme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk about an important development with respect to appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner.

The top counsel of the government sought time from the court for appointment of the CEC till Monday.

The court asked the assurance from the government for appointment of the CEC by December 05.

The Attorney General sought the time from the court for the directives from the competent authority.

The court granted time to the AG till 11:30 today.