Arbitrator may help end stalemate over CEC

SCBA could play a role in developing consensus over the key slot.

LAHORE: After rejecting each other’s nominees for Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) the government and opposition have agreed to end the stalemate through negotiations, sources in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told The Express Tribune.

Both PPP and PML-N have agreed to seek help of an arbitrator to finalise the name of CEC, they said.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Leader of the House Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani have sent their respective lists of three nominees to the Parliamentary Committee on the appointment of CEC, but the committee has not deliberated on these names in its two meetings.

Negotiations

Sources said that PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar will negotiate with Syed Khurshid Shah and both will develop consensus on anyone from outside the lists of rejected names. They said that both will jointly contact Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and representatives of civil society to solicit name of a suitable person for the slot of CEC.

National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza had earlier asked both the government and opposition to solve the issue with consensus.

SCBA

Supreme Court Bar Association President Yaseen Azad while talking with The Express Tribune said that if both will approach them, they would suggest name of justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan. Azad said that during a recent meeting with government and opposition he urged them to consult SCBA and PBC before appointing judges and CEC.

What constitution says

Justice (retd) Tariq Mehmood said that according to the constitution if the committee convenes its meeting and deliberates upon the nominations for CEC received from the opposition and the government, it would have to select a final name from within the lists.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2012.