Govt decides to let PML-N keep PAC top post

Party has nominated Rana Tanveer for the post

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided not to challenge the nomination of PML-N’s Rana Tanveer for the post of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman in line with its recent conciliatory approach towards the opposition.

The position fell vacant after PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif’s resignation. He submitted his resignation letter on November 18, a day before leaving for London with his brother, former premier Nawaz Sharif, for the latter’s medical treatment. The National Assembly speaker has accepted his resignation.

The PML-N president in his resignation letter proposed the name of Rana Tanveer.

According to sources, the government has decided to allow the opposition to retain the post.

The National Assembly speaker has convened a meeting of the PAC on November 28 for the election of its new chairman.

The PTI government had conceded the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee to Shehbaz in December last year, almost three months after a deadlock with the opposition over the key position.

Shehbaz had already announced his decision to step down from the position in June this year.

The PML-N has claimed that it had taken other opposition parties on board while nominating Tanveer for the position. However, some PPP leaders have reportedly denied its claim and expressed their reservations over the PML-N’s move.