Opposition rejects Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati's inclusion in ECP committee

• Chaudhry and Swati, who were both issued notices by ECP, were included in the committee two days prior.
• Opposition says government "deliberately included" two members in the committee who kept "threatening" the ECP.
• Says govt cannot be supported in legislation benefiting a particular entity.

The Opposition's steering committee in a meeting on Sunday rejected the inclusion of Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry and Minister for Railways Azam Swati in the Election Commission of Pakistan committee constituted for the appointment of members to the electoral body.

Chaudhry and Swati, who were both issued notices by the ECP for their remarks against the body, were included in the committee two days prior.

The meeting today rejected the notification of the committee's reconstitution and raised concerns over the removal of Senator Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q and Khalida Ateeb of the MQM from the committee. According to sources, the meeting decided to liaise with the two parties on the issue.

The meeting was attended by Yousuf Raza Gilani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Shiza Fatima participated.

In addition, Sherry Rehman, Shazia Marri and Kamran Murtaza participated virtually.

The participants said that the government had "deliberately included" two members in the committee who kept "threatening" the ECP.

The committee members said that the government "wants to violate the constitution" in the matter of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman's appointment.

The government cannot be supported in legislation benefiting a particular entity, however, talks can take place to bring about improvement in the laws, they said.

The committee considered the text in response to a letter written by the Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser and addressed to Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and agreed that legislation should be in accordance with the constitution and law.

Asad Qaiser's letter to Shahbaz Sharif

On November 11, Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, wrote a letter to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, and asked Opposition parties to start — in the wider national interest — "inclusive decision-making" and "build up consensus above party politics on all mega reforms of common interest."

PML-N responds

In response to Asad Qaiser's letter, Shahbaz Sharif —  on behalf of the united Opposition in the National Assembly  — said that the committee, in its three meetings, "could not even finalise the Terms of Reference for its procedural jurisdiction due to lack of support by the Government members."

"During this period, all bills, which were to be considered by this committee, either lapsed or were rejected by the Senate, and were referred to the Joint Sitting of the Parliament, thus completely negating the purpose for which the committee on legislative business was formed."

Shahbaz said that "the Opposition believes that issues of national interest, especially legislation with wide-ranging, long-term impact on the people of Pakistan, should be resolved through consensus-oriented consultation.