The parliamentary opposition is meeting on Wednesday to decide whether it will join the government’s proposed electoral reforms committee. The opposition alliance will gather at the Islamabad residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Leader of Opposition Mahmood Achakzai, Barrister Gohar and Asad Qaiser are among the leaders expected to attend. They will also discuss the current political situation and the role of opposition parties.
Government invitation and committee composition concerns
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry contacted PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar and asked the party to nominate members to the committee. Dogar expressed reservations about its proposed makeup, questioning how meaningful reforms could be when 15 government members were proposed against five from the opposition.
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He suggested reviewing the committee’s composition formula.
Detentions of lawmakers raised as a concern
Dogar also raised the detention of Sohail Afridi and the arrests of several National Assembly members. He asked how electoral reforms could be discussed when around a dozen lawmakers were facing arrest or had been taken into custody.
