ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is considering reducing its representation in the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms to accommodate its coalition partners, government sources said.
According to sources, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wants to take all coalition partners on board and ensure their representation in the parliamentary committee.
Consultations are underway to give representation to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and other allied parties in the committee.
Sources said the PML-N may reduce its share in proportion to its representation in parliament to make room for coalition partners.
The possibility of including one member of the National Assembly each from the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Zia is also under consideration.
With the inclusion of coalition partners, the PML-N’s representation from the National Assembly in the parliamentary committee is expected to fall below nine members.
Earlier, the government had sought nominations from the PPP and MQM-P for the proposed parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry wrote letters to PPP Chief Whip Aijaz Jakhrani and MQM-P Chief Whip Aminul Haque, seeking nominations for the committee.
Under the proposed proportional representation, the PPP is entitled to five members, while the MQM-P will have one representative. The ruling PML-N was initially allocated nine seats in the parliamentary committee.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the parties had been asked to nominate their representatives in light of a letter from National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
The parliamentary affairs minister had earlier announced that he would meet parliamentary leaders of all political parties to invite them to join the electoral reforms committee.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman had also said that a resolution was passed on the proposal of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to establish a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms comprising members of both houses of parliament.
The committee will deliberate on electoral reforms and submit its recommendations to parliament for approval.
