ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has invited Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mehmood Khan Achakzai for mandatory consultations on the appointment of a new chief election commissioner (CEC), a practical step towards opening a formal channel of dialogue between the government and opposition, a source close to the premier told Dawn on Thursday.
Mr Achakzai did not immediately respond to the invitation.
The outreach comes days before a PTI-led opposition march towards Islamabad planned for Sept 27.
“Yes, the prime minister invited him (Mr Achakzai) for consultation,” the source said.
A few days ago, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had stressed the need for political harmony and stability during a session of the lower house and suggested that the prime minister initiate dialogue with the opposition by inviting the opposition leader for consultations on the appointment of a new CEC.
On the other hand, the PTI remained silent on the development. A senior party leader contacted by Dawn was reluctant to comment on the prime minister’s invitation.
The five-year term of incumbent Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja expired on Jan 26, 2025, but he has continued in office for more than a year-and-a-half.
Mr Raja has remained a controversial figure for the opposition, particularly since the ouster of the PTI government, with the party accusing him of favouring the PML-N-led ruling coalition.
Under Article 213(2A) of the Constitution, the prime minister is required to consult the opposition leader in the National Assembly and forward three names for appointment as chief election commissioner to a parliamentary committee for hearing and confirmation of one candidate.
Article 213(2B) provides that the parliamentary committee, constituted by the National Assembly speaker, comprises equal representation from the treasury and opposition benches according to their strength in parliament.
If the prime minister and opposition leader fail to reach consensus, both may submit separate lists to the parliamentary committee for consideration.
Debate on new provinces
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said on Thursday that a formal debate on the contentious issue of creating new provinces would be held during the next National Assembly session in October.
Speaking on Geo News, the minister said there would be no National Assembly session during the current month. “Parliament is the proper platform to hold a formal debate and consider the matter,” he said. Responding to a question, Mr Chaudhry ruled out any plan to grant Islamabad provincial status.
Separately, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal backed a national debate on restructuring the country’s administrative system and proposed dividing each of the four existing provinces into three parts.
He said the current administrative system was not delivering effectively and called for the formation of a review committee to examine proposals for creating new federating units and to facilitate a national debate on the matter.
Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2026
