ISLAMABAD - Except Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), all the parliamentary parties on Tuesday put their weight behind the formation of a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging in the general elections and asked the government to go ahead expeditiously, observing legal and constitutional formalities.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday afternoon met the parliamentary parties’ leaders at his National Assembly chamber and took them into confidence about the process of negotiations with PTI and eventually reaching the agreement on the formation of a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging charges in the last general elections.
The matter of forming a judicial commission was discussed in detail and it was decided almost unanimously to go ahead with its formation, an official statement issued by the PM’s media section said.
The MQM came up with outright rejection to the proposed judicial commission, terming it repugnant to the Constitution and very spirit of democratic norms.
Later, elaborating his party’s point of view in a media chat after the meeting, MQM central leader Dr Farooq Sattar said they could not support the proposed judicial commission which would be against articles 189 and 225 of the Constitution.
Sattar dubbed the agreement signed between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) a sheer contradiction of the Constitution and made it loud and clear that his party would not extend support to anything against the spirit of the Constitution.
Sattar said all political parties were bound to abide by the Constitution, adding MQM was the only party that had opposed the judicial commission.
Some other parties too raised some legal points on the proposed judicial commission, but they finally decided to go with the majority to extend support to the government on this matter in the largest interest of democracy and political stability in the country.
The prime minister, while talking to the heads of the parliamentary parties, said he had written a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan on August 13, 2014 for formation of judicial commission.
During the meeting, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar briefed the participants on the details of the negotiations held with the PTI leaders.
The prime minister said all the parties should work together for the country’s progress and welfare of the people. He said, “We want to remove misgivings among the political parties through dialogue and fully concentrate on resolving the challenges being faced by Pakistan, which included eradicating terrorism and extremism, meeting energy shortage and putting the country’s economy on the path to progress for the creation of a safe, peaceful, tolerant and prosperous society.”
The participants of the meeting congratulated the prime minister and the negotiating team on their success. Khursheed Shah said now the PTI should come to the National Assembly. Other political leaders also expressed happiness over political solution to the problem.
The participants of the meeting included Leader of the Opposition in NA Khursheed Shah, Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM, Housing Minister Akram Khan Durrani, Pir Sadruddin Shah of PML-F, Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP, JI Amir Sirajul Haq, Sahibzada Tariqullah of JI; Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of ANP, Ijazul Haq of PML-Z, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao of QWP, Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal from Fata, Leader of Opposition in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo of National Party, Senator Rehman Malik of PPP and Senator Kalsoom Perveen of PML-N.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Safron Minister Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman, special assistants to the PM, Khawaja Zaheer, Ushtar Ausaf and Barrister Zafrullah, MNA Zahid Hamid, Political Secretary to PM Asif Kirmani and the attorney general also attended the meeting.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Leader of Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said the commission to be constituted through a presidential ordinance could not nullify the 2013 general elections even if the rigging charges were established and could only give its findings and recommendations.
They said that as the powers given to election tribunals were intact under Article 225 of the Constitution, the findings of the judicial commission would become recommendatory in nature, having no binding effect. However, in case rigging charges were proven, the prime minister would come under tremendous moral pressure to dissolve the assemblies and give a date for fresh elections, he added.
Khursheed Shah said from the day one it was the stance of Pakistan People’s Party that disputes should be resolved on the negotiation table and not on containers or through agitation. He said now the PTI must come to the assemblies and play their constitutional role in legislation.
To a question, Khursheed Shah ruled out imposition of governor rule in Sindh and replacement of Governor Ishratul Ebad with some PPP loyalist.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday afternoon met the parliamentary parties’ leaders at his National Assembly chamber and took them into confidence about the process of negotiations with PTI and eventually reaching the agreement on the formation of a judicial commission to probe the alleged rigging charges in the last general elections.
The matter of forming a judicial commission was discussed in detail and it was decided almost unanimously to go ahead with its formation, an official statement issued by the PM’s media section said.
The MQM came up with outright rejection to the proposed judicial commission, terming it repugnant to the Constitution and very spirit of democratic norms.
Later, elaborating his party’s point of view in a media chat after the meeting, MQM central leader Dr Farooq Sattar said they could not support the proposed judicial commission which would be against articles 189 and 225 of the Constitution.
Sattar dubbed the agreement signed between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) a sheer contradiction of the Constitution and made it loud and clear that his party would not extend support to anything against the spirit of the Constitution.
Sattar said all political parties were bound to abide by the Constitution, adding MQM was the only party that had opposed the judicial commission.
Some other parties too raised some legal points on the proposed judicial commission, but they finally decided to go with the majority to extend support to the government on this matter in the largest interest of democracy and political stability in the country.
The prime minister, while talking to the heads of the parliamentary parties, said he had written a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan on August 13, 2014 for formation of judicial commission.
During the meeting, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar briefed the participants on the details of the negotiations held with the PTI leaders.
The prime minister said all the parties should work together for the country’s progress and welfare of the people. He said, “We want to remove misgivings among the political parties through dialogue and fully concentrate on resolving the challenges being faced by Pakistan, which included eradicating terrorism and extremism, meeting energy shortage and putting the country’s economy on the path to progress for the creation of a safe, peaceful, tolerant and prosperous society.”
The participants of the meeting congratulated the prime minister and the negotiating team on their success. Khursheed Shah said now the PTI should come to the National Assembly. Other political leaders also expressed happiness over political solution to the problem.
The participants of the meeting included Leader of the Opposition in NA Khursheed Shah, Dr Farooq Sattar of MQM, Housing Minister Akram Khan Durrani, Pir Sadruddin Shah of PML-F, Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP, JI Amir Sirajul Haq, Sahibzada Tariqullah of JI; Haji Ghulam Ahmad Bilour of ANP, Ijazul Haq of PML-Z, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao of QWP, Dr Ghazi Gulab Jamal from Fata, Leader of Opposition in Senate Aitzaz Ahsan, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo of National Party, Senator Rehman Malik of PPP and Senator Kalsoom Perveen of PML-N.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Safron Minister Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rahman, special assistants to the PM, Khawaja Zaheer, Ushtar Ausaf and Barrister Zafrullah, MNA Zahid Hamid, Political Secretary to PM Asif Kirmani and the attorney general also attended the meeting.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah and Leader of Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said the commission to be constituted through a presidential ordinance could not nullify the 2013 general elections even if the rigging charges were established and could only give its findings and recommendations.
They said that as the powers given to election tribunals were intact under Article 225 of the Constitution, the findings of the judicial commission would become recommendatory in nature, having no binding effect. However, in case rigging charges were proven, the prime minister would come under tremendous moral pressure to dissolve the assemblies and give a date for fresh elections, he added.
Khursheed Shah said from the day one it was the stance of Pakistan People’s Party that disputes should be resolved on the negotiation table and not on containers or through agitation. He said now the PTI must come to the assemblies and play their constitutional role in legislation.
To a question, Khursheed Shah ruled out imposition of governor rule in Sindh and replacement of Governor Ishratul Ebad with some PPP loyalist.
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