A photograph of opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai. SCREEN CAPTURE
ISLAMABAD:
A major hurdle in the appointment of a new CCA and two ECP members may be resolved soon as PTI-backed Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai has agreed to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to fulfill the constitutional requirement.
The appointment process remained stalled after Achakzai’s predecessor, Omar Ayub, refused to meet the prime minister, preventing the mandatory consultation from taking place.
But the recently notified leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament is ready to respond positively to the government’s decision to appoint the long-delayed new CEC members and two ECP members, while the incumbent regime is also ready to start the process, according to government officials and opposition members.
When contacted, TTAP spokesperson Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai confirmed the development.
Speaking to the Express PAkGazette in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that if the prime minister extends an invitation regarding the appointment of ECP members, both the PTI and Mahmood Khan Achakzai would respond positively.
“If the prime minister makes an offer, a meeting is called and we are invited, we will accept it positively,” he said. “We want the election commission to stand on its own. To make the election process transparent, all political parties should sit together and discuss the matter. On our part, there will be no obstacle. In fact, we are waiting for that step so that matters related to the election commission can move forward and the country can move towards free and fair elections in the future.”
When asked if PTI agrees, Yousafzai said PTI and TTAP were separate entities, but added that Achakzai had the backing of Imran Khan and any decision he takes will be accepted by all.
SAPM Huzaifa Rehman confirmed to The Express PAkGazette that the prime minister would soon invite Achakzai to key constitutional appointments.
He said consultations on the appointment of ECP members will be held strictly in accordance with constitutional requirements and the process will proceed only thereafter.
Rehman noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also tried to launch consultations earlier, but the process was blocked when Omar Ayub refused to attend the meeting. “Now, the Prime Minister will again invite interested parties as per the memorandum and it is expected that very positive results will be seen in the coming days,” he said.
He added that Achakzai could also write directly to the prime minister, calling the matter an important constitutional issue. “If you wish to discuss it, you can hold formal correspondence with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif so that immediate action can be taken on these proposals,” Rehman said.
Under the Constitution, the prime minister must initiate the appointment process in consultation with the leader of the opposition.
The prime minister had formally invited the then opposition leader, Omar Ayub, to begin consultations, but he refused to meet him and instead asked the speaker of the National Assembly to constitute a parliamentary committee.
However, under the constitutional framework, the parliamentary committee cannot be formed until consultations between the prime minister and the opposition leader are completed.
