• Sherry-led delegation meets opposition leaders for second consecutive day
• Urges lawmakers to end boycott, rejoin parliamentary standing committees
• Opposition to hold internal consultations before responding
• Barrister Ali Zafar calls for effective implementation of electoral laws
ISLAMABAD: The PPP on Friday continued its efforts to persuade the opposition to join the proposed Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms (PCER) to help make the country’s electoral process transparent and free from controversy.
However, the opposition sought time for internal consultations before responding to the invitation. The PPP also urged opposition lawmakers to return to the standing committees of the Senate and National Assembly, which they had quit on the instructions of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan in August 2025.
A PPP delegation led by party Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman visited the chamber of Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas to formally invite opposition parties to participate in the PCER.
The delegation included Nayyar Bukhari, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Senator Waqar Mehdi, while the opposition was represented by Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Noorul Haq Qadri and Senator Ali Zafar.
Another PPP delegation, comprising Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Naveed Qamar, had met Mr Achakzai on Thursday for the same purpose.
A source privy to Friday’s meeting told Dawn that the PPP delegation also urged opposition leaders to engage with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the appointment of a new chief election commissioner (CEC), as the incumbent continued to hold office despite the expiry of his term two years ago.
Under the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the incumbent CEC continues to serve until his successor is appointed.
PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari said the opposition leaders had informed the delegation that they would consult other opposition parties before responding to the invitation.
During the meeting, Senator Rehman said the committee aimed to bring the government and opposition together to formulate joint proposals for ensuring free, fair and transparent elections.
“Repeated questions over the credibility of the electoral process undermine the credibility of parliament itself. Free, fair and transparent elections are essential not only for protecting the rights of voters but also for strengthening democratic institutions,” she said.
Ms Rehman said a resolution had been passed on the proposal of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to establish a Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms comprising members of both Houses.
The committee would deliberate on electoral reforms and present its recommendations to parliament for approval, she said, stressing that the exercise required political consensus to restore public confidence.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Ms Rehman said the delegation had approached opposition leaders on Mr Bhutto-Zardari’s instructions and urged them to join the committee, participate actively and raise their reservations.
“Committees are the heart of parliamentary affairs. If they (opposition members) remain absent, how will their reservations be addressed?” she asked.
She also urged the opposition to rejoin the standing committees it had boycotted.
“The opposition leaders heard us in a spirit of goodwill and said they will respond after consultation. They specially thanked Bilawal Bhutto. We hope they will give a positive response to our proposals,” she said.
Speaking to reporters, PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said electoral reforms were essential for strengthening democracy and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
However, he maintained that Pakistan’s fundamental problem was not the absence of electoral laws but their implementation.
“The real problem lies in their implementation,” he said. “The key question is how we will ensure that existing electoral laws are implemented honestly, transparently and without discrimination. Unless this fundamental issue is addressed, merely introducing new laws will not achieve the desired results.”
Mr Zafar thanked the PPP for extending the invitation and said the PTI would discuss the proposal internally before communicating its response. He reiterated that meaningful electoral reforms must address not only the legal framework but also mechanisms to ensure its effective implementation.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2026
