Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The parliamentary committee meeting, chaired by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, considered at total of six names – three each proposed by the government and the Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif. However, the voting on names resulted in a deadlock.
Three nominations are sent to the parliamentary committee after consensus between the prime minister and the leader of opposition. If the PM and the leader of opposition fail to reach consensus then both of them send three names each to the committee.
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The parliamentary committee with a minimum of two-third majority selects one name out of the six names. However, the Constitution is silent as to what should be done if deadlock persists over the proposed names in the parliamentary committee.
After the Tuesday meeting, Mazari told the media that consensus over the names could not be reached. “Prime Minister Imran Khan would be apprised of the minutes of the committee.”
Mazari said the names forwarded by the PM and the opposition leader cannot be changed but the government changed one of the names on the request of the opposition.
She said the names proposed by the opposition received six votes while the names proposed by the government received five votes plus her vote. However the opposition did not accept her vote.
“The job of the parliamentary committee regarding appointment of ECP members is finished and the committee will now consult with the Ministry of Law,” she added.
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The Pakistan Peoples Party leader Khursheed Shah also spoke to media after the meeting and said the letter sent by the PM to the opposition leader on March 11 was received in the committee meeting.
“But the government did not send the names [proposed by the PM]. Rather the names sent by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were included.”
He claimed that owing to lack of unity in the government, the old names were withdrawn and new names were forwarded. The opposition was of the view that consultation be held on the old names instead of the new names.
“However, the government members included in the committee refused to accept this demand. Voting resulted in 6 votes for the opposition nominees and 5 votes for the government nominees,” he said, adding that the government is complicating every issue.
He said for Balochistan, the names of Dr Salahuddin Mengal, Mehmood Raza Khan and Raja Amir Abbas came under discussion while for Sindh the names of Azeem Qureshi, Justice Abdul Rasool Memon and Justices (Retd ) Nur-ul-Haq Qureshi were considered.
“Sending nominations for the ECP provincial members is the right of the prime minister and if Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accepts his mistake then the opposition will also withdraw it nominations,” he added.
He said the parliament is the greatest forum that represents 200 million people. “A better decision regarding the country is expected in the committee meeting but consensus has not been reached.”
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