ISLAMABAD: The special parliamentary committee on electoral reforms finally came to life on Wednesday with the unanimous selection of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as its chairman.

Mr Dar’s unopposed election just a week ahead of the PTI’s planned ‘Azadi March’ against the alleged rigging in the last general elections proved to be a smooth affair as no one, including the PTI members, raised any objection when PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar proposed his name.

Ishaq Dar is believed to have a special position in the PML-N due to his close relation with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and some political commentators even call him the ‘de facto prime minister”.

The 33-member committee constituted by National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq on July 25 has been tasked “to evaluate the shortcomings of the previous electoral process and make recommendations to hold free, fair and transparent elections” in future.

Elected unopposed for the job, the minister says all decisions will be taken unanimously

Talking to reporters after his election, Mr Dar vowed to make all decisions with consensus. “I have been given this responsibility with a consensus, and like in the past, I will always work without political considerations and for the national interest.”

He said the committee’s focus would be on the use of modern technology to ensure fair and transparent elections in future. It would also work for consolidation of all the electoral laws, he said.

Flanked by ministers Zahid Hamid, Abdul Qadir Baloch and Anusha Rehman, the finance minister expressed the hope that the committee would complete its work within the stipulated 90-day period.

Mr Dar said the committee would meet on Aug 11 and prepare rules of business and finalise terms of reference for its smooth functioning.

He said all stakeholders would be consulted before finalising recommendations for election reforms. The committee had invited representatives of the Election Commission of Pakistan, the National Database and Registration Authority and civil society, he said.

The minister said that he was also a member of the Senate committee which reviewed election laws and other related matters. The committee would revisit existing electoral laws and all proposals finalised by the former relevant committees of the National Assembly and the Senate, he said.

Mr Dar said all parties had representation in the committee and every one had a one-point agenda – improvement in the election system.

“Everyone talked positively in today’s meeting,” he said when asked about the atmosphere during the in camera meeting of the committee.

“This committee will work bi-partisan and play proactive to complete the task within the given timeline,” Mr Dar.

He said the representation of all parliamentary parties in the committee showed the government’s resolve to frame such electoral reforms from which the coming generations would benefit in terms of political consciousness, social change and economic prosperity.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Raza Rabbani, Naveed Qamar and Shazia Marri of the PPP, Mushahid Hussain Syed of the PML-Q, Aftab Sherpao, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Ijazul Haq, Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Talha Mehmood.

All three members of the PTI – Shafqat Mehmood, Shireen Mazari and Arif Alvi – also attended the meeting.

The PTI is facing criticism for its dual policy of taking part in proceedings of the parliamentary committee and at the same time threatening to stage a protest sit-in in Islamabad on Aug 14 with the main demand of election reforms.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly speaker in his message said that Mr Dar’s unopposed election was an evidence of trust and confidence of leadership of all political parties sitting in parliament and members of the committee reposed confidence in his capabilities.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2014