Bhatti’s relatives unlikely to replace him in NA
President Zardari had initially suggested the idea.
ISLAMABAD:
President Asif Ali Zardari’s desire to get one of the family members of slain minorities’ minister Shahbaz Bhatti elected on the National Assembly seat which fell vacant after his murder last week will remain unfulfilled because of electoral rules.
According to officials, regulations stipulate that the ‘selection’ on reserved seats is made from lists submitted by political parties to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ahead of the general polls.
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had given the commission four names on reserved seats for minorities ahead of the 2008 elections. The parties get reserved seat in proportion to their strength of general members.
Bhatti, a die-hard party worker and a Roman Catholic, was at the top of the PPP list. He became an MNA and subsequently a minister.
The other three names were: Dr Khathomal Jeevan, a member of the Sindh Hindu community, while Micheal Javed and Khalid Gill, are both Christians.
Dr Jeevan was later elected as member of the Senate on PPP ticket.
Election rules say in case of death or resignation by any member from the reserved seats, the next on the list would automatically become his or her replacement.
According to this formula, Micheal Javed is the likely candidate to enter the National Assembly and Election Commission officials said that a notification in this regard is expected to be issued on Monday.
They, however, said the PPP might come up with new names if both Javed and Gill refuse the seat. This probability was ruled out by a ruling party member.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2011.
President Asif Ali Zardari’s desire to get one of the family members of slain minorities’ minister Shahbaz Bhatti elected on the National Assembly seat which fell vacant after his murder last week will remain unfulfilled because of electoral rules.
According to officials, regulations stipulate that the ‘selection’ on reserved seats is made from lists submitted by political parties to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ahead of the general polls.
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had given the commission four names on reserved seats for minorities ahead of the 2008 elections. The parties get reserved seat in proportion to their strength of general members.
Bhatti, a die-hard party worker and a Roman Catholic, was at the top of the PPP list. He became an MNA and subsequently a minister.
The other three names were: Dr Khathomal Jeevan, a member of the Sindh Hindu community, while Micheal Javed and Khalid Gill, are both Christians.
Dr Jeevan was later elected as member of the Senate on PPP ticket.
Election rules say in case of death or resignation by any member from the reserved seats, the next on the list would automatically become his or her replacement.
According to this formula, Micheal Javed is the likely candidate to enter the National Assembly and Election Commission officials said that a notification in this regard is expected to be issued on Monday.
They, however, said the PPP might come up with new names if both Javed and Gill refuse the seat. This probability was ruled out by a ruling party member.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2011.