Sikandar Sultan Raja named for CEC's slot as deadlock between govt, opposition breaks

ISLAMABAD: After months of deadlock on the appointment of a chief election commissioner (CEC), the government and the opposition have decided on Sikandar Sultan Raja as the new head of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Both the government and the opposition also agreed to Nisar Durrani as the ECP member from Sindh, while Shah Muhammad Jatoi will fill the vacant slot for Balochistan. 

"It is good that Parliament itself decided the matter and no other institution was involved in the matter," Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said as she announced the decision. "The names will be sent to the prime minister today for finalisation." 

"Both sides showed flexibility [on the matter] and this is a good omen," senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said after the announcement. 

Sources had earlier told The News that it was highly likely that the final decision on the key appointments would be formally announced today (Tuesday). 

The announcement was eventually made after a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of the CEC and members of the ECP.

Sources had explained that the committee had agreed that the opposition panel would name candidates for the vacant seats of ECP members from Balochistan and Sindh, while government members would name the election commission chief. 

Also read: New names being considered for post of CEC, ECP members: report

However, the final decision regarding who will head the commission was to be decided after consultation in the parliamentary committee today.

Earlier on Monday, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had sent Prime Minister Imran Khan three new names for the post of CEC, which included Irfan Qadir, Ikhlaq Tarar and Nasir Mehmood Khosa.

Also read: ECP suspends membership of 318 lawmakers

Sources said that the exchange of new names showed that both the parties were close to finalising a new CEC.

In the new panel, Shehbaz Sharif proposed the names of ex-attorney general Irfan Qadir and removed former foreign secretary Jalil Abbass Jillani from the panel.

The post of the CEC had been lying vacant since the retirement of Justice (retd) Sardar Raza on Dec 6, whereas the positions of the two ECP members have been empty for a year now.

With additional reporting by Asim Yasin and Tahir Khalil.

Originally published in The News