ISLAMABAD, Jan 13: The Awami National Party has managed to get the chairpersonship of a standing committee.

Heads of two NA standing committees were elected on Tuesday – ANP’s Bushra Gohar for Women’s Development and PML-N’s Pervez Khan for Housing and Works.

Ms Gohar’s name was proposed by Faryal Talpur and seconded by Khushbakht Shujaat.

NA secretary Karamat Hussain Niazi conducted the election.

Members of the committee, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Mohammad Moazzam Ali Khan Jatoi, Faryal Talpur, Shakeela Khanam Rashid, Dr Zil-e-Huma, Sardar Al-Haaj Mohammad Umar Gorgage, Nasir Tanveen, Shaheen Ishaq, Khushbakht Shujaat and Fauzia Ejaz Khan, congratulated Ms Gohar and assured her of their cooperation in making the committee’s work purposeful.

Earlier, the PML-N was offered the chairmanship of the committee, but the party declined to accept it after its women parliamentarians opposed the nomination of male party member Hanif Abbasi for the post.

Sources said that in view of strong opposition by women members of PML-N, the party declined the government’s offer to nominate its member for the post.

The women were of the view that it was the prerogative of a woman parliamentarian of the party to become chairperson of the committee.

According to the sources, Chaudhry Nisar categorically stated that if Mr Abbasi did not become the head of the committee, no one else would be considered for the post.

It was for the first time that the women wing of PML-N took such a stand against their male colleagues and opposed the decision of parliamentary leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Sources in Pakistan People’s Party said the government had offered the PML-N chairmanship of the committee through Labour Minister Syed Khursheed Shah and Chaudhry Nisar Ali had presented Hanif Abbasi’s name for the post.

For the chairmanship of the committee for Housing and Works, Pervez Khan’s name was proposed by Tariq Mahmood Bajwa and seconded by other members.