PTI demand met: Parliamentary body to probe rigging charges

Interior minister says those found guilty should be dealt with according to the law.

ISLAMABAD:

For the past three months, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had been demanding investigations into incidents of alleged poll rigging and on Thursday the government agreed to constitute a parliamentary committee to probe the matter.

The move which came in response to a letter of PTI chief Imran Khan was appreciated and welcomed by the opposition benches.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan proposed that a committee of the house should be constituted to investigate the entire matter and also suggest electoral reforms.

“The committee should be fully authorised to summon former caretaker prime minister and caretaker chief ministers, returning officers and officials of the election commission to know about the truth,” Nisar said, adding, those found guilty of wrongdoing should be dealt with in accordance with the law.

He said that the committee should also be given a timeframe to complete its task and submit findings and proposals.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi, who was chairing the proceedings, asked the parliamentary heads of political parties to nominate members for the committee.

Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah from PPPP and PTI deputy parliamentary leader Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi welcomed the decision.

Security policy

While talking about the new security policy, the interior minister invited members of the lower house to give their input.

“There is no change in government’s stance and we still are of the view that (the US) attack on Afghanistan is not our war. But the state of affair within our country is our responsibility,” he added.

Referring to the US invasion of Afghanistan the interior minister said, “Perhaps we are not aware of the magnitude of the problem.” It was very important for all to keep in mind the perspective in which the country was facing these circumstances, he said.

Nisar said there was a need to bring all security, civil and military institutions and the entire nation on the same page. He said framing of the new security policy may take time.

“We will frame a comprehensive national security policy keeping in view the 18th Constitutional Amendment,” he said.

Nisar urged the provincial governments to be proactive in devising their security policies and assured of support from the federal government in handling the law and order situation.

However, it was the provincial government’s responsibility under the 18th amendment to handle the security situation, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16^th, 2013.