A photo of opposition leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai. SCREENSHOT
ISLAMABAD:
A major hurdle in the appointment of a new CEC 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 constitutional requirements.
The nomination 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 appointed opposition leader in the lower house of parliament is ready to respond positively to the government’s decision to appoint the new CEC and two long-delayed 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 this development.
Speaking to The Express PK Press Club in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that if the Prime Minister extends an invitation regarding the appointment of ECP members, the PTI and Mahmood Khan Achakzai would respond positively.
“If an offer is made by the Prime Minister, a meeting is called and we are invited, we will accept it positively,” he said. “We want the Election Commission to be autonomous. To ensure transparency in the electoral process, all political parties must sit together and discuss the issue. From our side, there will be no obstacles. In fact, we are waiting for such a 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.”
Asked if PTI was on board, Yousafzai said PTI and TTAP were separate entities, but added that Achakzai had the support of Imran Khan and whatever decision he takes, it will be accepted by all.
SAPM Huzaifa Rehman confirmed to The Express PK Press Club that the Prime Minister would soon invite Achakzai for key constitutional appointments.
He said consultations on the appointment of ECP members would be conducted in strict compliance with constitutional requirements and the process would only continue afterward.
Rehman noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also tried to initiate consultations earlier, but the process was stalled when Omar Ayub refused to attend the meeting. “Now the Prime Minister will again invite relevant parties in accordance with the memorandum, and it is hoped 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 it an important constitutional issue. “If he wishes to discuss them, he can correspond formally with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif so that immediate action can be taken on these proposals,” Rehman said.
According to the Constitution, the Prime Minister is required to initiate the appointment process by consulting the Leader of the Opposition.
The Prime Minister had formally invited Omar Ayub, then leader of the opposition, to begin consultations, but the latter refused to meet him and instead asked the President of the National Assembly to form a parliamentary committee.
However, according to the constitutional framework, the parliamentary committee cannot be formed until consultations between the prime minister and the opposition leader are completed.
