The parliamentary committee, headed by Khurshid Shah, Wednesday confirmed nominations of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members, completing the process of setting up an independent election commission under 18th amendment.
The parliamentary panel on confirmation of ECP members' nomination unanimously approved names of four retired high court judges as member from each province. The formation process has been completed under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The country was without an independent election commission as attorney general of Pakistan had also admitted before the court that no election commission existed and a committee has been constituted for this purpose. The court had ordered to complete formation of the commission according to 18th Amendment.
The parliamentary panel, with Khurshid Shah in the chair, decided that the recommendations on the election commission would be sent to Prime Minister for approval and final notification.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Khurshid Shah said that the committee has proposed names of Former Justice Fazal-ur-Rehman from Balochistan, Former Justice Shahzad Akbar Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Former Justice Muhammad Roshan Essani, Sindh and Former Justice Riaz Kiani, Punjab.
The minister was of the view that unanimous formation of an independent election commission is a big achievement of the parliament. He said that the parliamentary panel, formed for nomination of ECP members would remain functional.
When asked what will be the fate of incumbent chief election commissioner, he said that he would complete his tenure.
The meeting was attended by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, Zahid Hamid, Tehmina Daultana, Ghias Ahmed Mela, Islam-ud-Din Sheikh, Arif Aziz Sheikh, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri and Haji Muhammad Adil.