Stalemate in naming of ECP members persists

Parliamentary committee decides to apprise PM, however, opposition suggests taking the matter to SC

ISLAMABAD: Impasse between the government and opposition on the appointment of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members from Sindh and Balochistan continues as both have rejected the names proposed by either side. Even after the passage of six months, since the retirement of the ECP members, the issue is yet to be resolved.

The parliamentary committee formed under the chairpersonship of Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari for the posting of ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan could not reach any consensus.

Failing to reach an agreement on the proposed names, the committee has decided to apprise Prime Minister Imran Khan of the matter. However, the opposition suggested taking the matter to the Supreme Court instead.

Dr Mazari informed that a formula had been devised under which the appointment of ECP members for Sindh would have been made from the names proposed by the government and for Balochistan from the names forwarded by the opposition but the proposal was rejected by the opposition.

The minister said that it was the discretion of the prime minister to send the matter to the Supreme Court and that there is a verdict of the top court that during a deadlock, the premier can interfere in the matter.

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Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Mushahidullah Khan said he had advised that the Sindh members should be appointed from the names proposed by the opposition, while Balochistan members by the government but the government did not accept the suggestion.

He maintained that the prime minister has no authority to make the appointment of ECP members and now the apex court will decide the matter.

Earlier on Wednesday, the parliamentary panel on the appointment of ECP members held an in-camera meeting and considered 12 names three each for members from Sindh and Balochistan proposed by the government and the opposition.

The government had initially proposed the names of Dr Salahuddin Mengal, Mahmud Raza Khan, former additional advocate general for Balochistan, and Raja Aamir Abbasi, ex-deputy prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau, for their appointment as ECP member from Balochistan.

For Sindh, the following names had been proposed: Mohammad Nadeem Qureshi, ex-member judicial (judge of the customs appellate tribunal); Justice (retd) Abdul Rasool Memon, former registrar of Sindh High Court (SHC), and Justice (retd) Noorul Haq Qureshi, a former Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge.