ISLAMABAD - The Special Committee on Delimitation of Constituencies of the National Assembly headed by Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi rejected on Friday that any interference had been made in the mandate of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
According to a statement of facts issued by the committee after its meeting on Friday the ECP order issued on March 15, about interference was result of a misunderstanding. It said the National Assembly appointed the committee under its rules to examine proposals/objections and make recommendations to the house and not to the ECP.
It said that it was the mandate of the National Assembly to examine the matters relating to laws enacted by the parliament, and subordinate legislation made there under to ensure the implementation thereof accordingly.
It further said that the committee was yet to complete its assignment and the findings and recommendations, if any, of the committee were yet to be considered by the assembly, and if decided then only may be forwarded to the Election Commission as per established parliamentary practices relating to any other law as well.
The committee held its 1st meeting on March 14, 2018, and appointed a Working Group for obtaining information from the ECP in the light of grievances of the members relating to delimitation of constituencies. During the 1st meeting of the Working Group held on March 15, an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan issued on 15th March, 2018, was presented stating that no interference in the mandate of the Election Commission of Pakistan will be made by any committee or any other institution.
The statement of facts has been signed by Mutaza Javed Abbasi, Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch, MNA (PML-N), Daniyal Aziz, MNA (PML-N), Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA(PPPP), SA Iqbal Qadri, MNA (MQM), Naeema Kishwar Khan, MNA and Ms Asiya Nasir, MNA (JUI-F), Mehmood Khan Achakzai, MNA (PKMAP), Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, MNA and Alhaj Shahji Gul Afridi, MNA (IND-Fata) till date.