PPP courts opposition for electoral reforms

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday intensified its efforts to secure opposition participation in the proposed parliamentary committee on electoral reforms as a party delegation met Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas to urge him to join the initiative.

The outreach came as the National Assembly approved the formation of a 30-member parliamentary committee to oversee electoral reforms.

Senator Sherry Rehman said Abbas had sought time to consult before conveying his response, adding that the party was hopeful of a positive outcome.

The delegation comprised PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bokhari, Senator Waqar Mehdi, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Rehman.

"Every political party should ensure its participation in the committee. We all know that the PTI has boycotted parliamentary committees. So we asked them to join this committee, play an active role in it, express their reservations and suggest reforms," Rehman said in a video statement.

She said parliamentary committees were the "heart of parliamentary work", adding that the PTI should also participate in other parliamentary committees to "strengthen Parliament's role".

Rehman added that Abbas had warmly received the PPP delegation, thanked party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for the initiative and said he would respond after consultation.

"He told us that he will respond [to the proposal] after consultation. We are hopeful that their response will be positive," Rehman said.

30-member parliamentary panel approved

Meanwhile, the National Assembly approved the formation of a 30-member parliamentary committee to oversee electoral reforms. The proposed body will comprise 20 members from the lower house and 10 from the Senate.

Speaking to the media, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the NA speaker would soon issue a formal notification constituting the committee, while the process of finalising the names of its members was still under way.

He added that the PTI had not opposed the motion when it was presented in the National Assembly.

Seats on the proposed committee will be allocated to parliamentary parties in proportion to their numerical strength in the respective houses, he said.

Chaudhry said the committee was being formed to promote parliamentary consultation and consensus on improving the electoral system, ensuring transparency and introducing reforms.

He said the government would seek to give due consideration to constructive, positive and practical proposals from all parliamentary parties, including those in the opposition, as part of the electoral reform process.

He said the objective was to develop an electoral system that further strengthened transparency, public confidence and democratic values.

The minister stressed that electoral reforms were not the concern of any single political party but a shared national responsibility aimed at strengthening the democratic system.

He said all political parties should play an effective role in the process through mutual consultation, keeping the national interest in mind.