PM refers 12 names to opposition leader
By Ahmad Hassan
ISLAMABAD: Following a stricture passed by the Supreme Court on May 4, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sent on Saturday the names of retired high court judges, three from each province, to the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly for appointment as members of the Election Commission.
During the hearing of a petition filed by Tehrik-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, a three-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry put a question mark on the validity of election of those elected in by-elections to several seats of the National Assembly, provincial assemblies and the Senate when the election commission was incomplete.
Sources in the Prime Minister`s House said: “The names have been sent to Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for consultation as required under Article 218(2)(b) of the Constitution.”
After approval by the opposition leader, the names will be forwarded to the 12-member parliamentary committee, which has elected PPP stalwart and Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah as its convener, for confirmation of four members of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
Other members of the committee are: Senators Islamuddin Sheikh (PPP), Haji Mohammad Adeel (ANP) and Haroon Akthar Khan (PML-Q) and MNAs Arif Aziz Sheikh (PPP), Dr Farooq Sattar (MQM), Munir Khan Orakzai (Fata), Khawaja Mohammad Asif, Lt-Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch and Tehmina Daultana (PML-N), Amir Muqam (PML-Q) and National Assembly secretary Karamat Hussain Niazi.
Under the 18th Amendment, the prime minister after consulting the opposition leader is required to suggest names for the appointment of the chief election commissioner and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan to the parliamentary committee for its final approval. Previously, the powers to appoint the CEC and ECP members rested with the president.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/8/2011
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