ISLAMABAD: The government has contacted the opposition and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to seek nominations for a parliamentary committee on electoral reforms, but the opposition has raised objections to the proposed committee’s composition, ARY News reported.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry contacted PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar and asked the party to nominate members for the electoral reforms committee.
During the contact, Amir Dogar expressed reservations about the proposed composition of the committee, questioning how meaningful electoral reforms could be carried out when 15 government members were proposed against five opposition members.
He suggested reviewing the composition of the committee formed for electoral reforms between 2013 and 2018. He also called for examining the structure of that committee before proceeding with the new arrangement.
Amir Dogar also raised the issue of Sohail Afridi’s detention and the arrests of several members of the National Assembly.
He questioned how electoral reforms could be discussed when around a dozen lawmakers were facing arrest or had been taken into custody.
Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was considering reducing its representation in the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms to accommodate its coalition partners.
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.
