Panel to send ECP polls recommendations to cabinet

Govt committee reviews annual report of polls supervisory body

ISLAMABAD: The committee to review annual report of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to send the ECP’s recommendations for electoral reforms to the federal cabinet.

The first meeting of the ECP report review committee was chaired by Federal Minister for Law Farogh Naseem, on Wednesday.  Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Sawati, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari as well as Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Justice Maleeka Bokhari, the ECP Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh, and Law Division and ECP officials attended the meeting.

According to Section 16 of Election Act, the ECP is bound to submit a report to the federal government at the end of every calendar year. An annual report by ECP was laid before the federal cabinet through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in compliance with Section 16.

To review the ECP report and submit recommendations, the federal cabinet has constituted a committee comprising the law minister, minister for human rights, minister for science and technology, minister for parliamentary affairs and minister for communications.

The ECP secretary apprised the participants how the interviews were conducted from a wide range of experts in order to have input from all stakeholders.

The participants sought information regarding various issues in the report. The recommendations will soon be laid before the cabinet after a follow up meeting. The law minister thanked the participants for their participation in the meeting.