ISLAMABAD: The special parliamentary committee on electoral reforms will be meeting here on Monday (today) to finalise its rules of business and terms of reference (ToRs).

It will be the first formal meeting of the 33-member bicameral Special Committee of the Parliament on Electoral Reforms after the unanimous election last week of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar as its chairman.

The committee having representation of almost all the political parties present in the National Assembly and the Senate is in the process of framing rules for its smooth functioning at a time when the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is gearing up for its planned long march on Aug 14 against alleged rigging in last year’s general elections.

After finalising and approving the rules of business and ToRs, the committee members will also discuss the recommendations of the Senate Special Committee on Election Issue, says the agenda for the meeting.

The Senate Special Committee on Election Issue was formed during tenure of the PPP-led government in 2009 and was headed by PPP’s Jahangir Badar. The committee submitted its report to the house in February 2013.

The report contained a number of proposals to improve the election laws and the electoral system through empowerment of the Election Commission of Pakistan. Mr Dar was a member of this committee as well.

The Special Committee of the Parliament on Electoral Reforms constituted by National Assembly Speaker Sardar 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.

Talking to reporters after his election, Mr Dar had vowed to make all the decisions of the committee with consensus.

Highlighting the committee’s priorities, he had said its focus would be on the use of modern technology to ensure fair and transparent elections in future.

Moreover, he said, the committee would work for consolidation of all the electoral laws. He had expressed the hope that the committee would complete its work within the stipulated 90-day period.

All the members belonging to the PTI — Shafqat Mehmood, Shireen Mazari and Arif Alvi — had attended the meeting in which Mr Dar was elected unopposed as the committee’s chairman.

However, when contacted a spokesman for the PTI said the PTI members might not be able to attend the meeting on Monday as the party leadership was scheduled to hold an important news conference at the same time.

He, however, said the PTI had decided not to boycott the committee and the party would definitely participate in its proceedings.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on June 10 wrote to the NA speaker, asking him to constitute a parliamentary committee comprising members of both houses of parliament to take up the issue in an apparent move to pacify the agitating PTI, which has strong reservations over the results of last year’s elections and has been demanding electoral reforms since then.

Mr Sharif had suggested that the proposed committee should present strong recommendations on free and fair elections, establishment of caretaker government and use of modern technology in polls.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2014