Parliamentary parties’ meeting fails to make headway on delimitation
The parties are yet to agree on the delimitation bill which will pave the way for next year's general elections
November 08, 2017
ISLAMABAD: A meeting of parliamentary parties on Wednesday again failed to make headway over the new delimitation of constituencies in the National Assembly.
Chaired by NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, the meeting ended after the parties' representatives failed to reach a consensus.
The NA speaker said after the meeting that the government will be consulted if the matter can be taken up in a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) — a demand of the main opposition party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
He added that all parties are in agreement that the next elections should not be delayed.
A similar meeting was held on Tuesday but the participants failed to reach a conclusion on the pending legislation regarding delimitation of constituencies in line with the latest census results.
However, as per Sadiq, they were all in agreement that the next general elections should not be delayed.
The representatives of political parties were tasked to consult their party leaders and come back with proposals today.
Don't see amendment being passed: PTI
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he does not see the PPP's reservations being met nor the PML-N ensuring its members' presence in the NA.
Sheikh Rasheed calls for resignation of PML-N govt
Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed said after the meeting that the government should resign over its failure to ensure the presence of its MNAs in the assembly.
Talking to the media, he said, "I told speaker [Ayaz Sadiq] that your party is a disaster".
He said the government should complete its numbers in the NA, adding that "we all want elections on time".
Rasheed also claimed that Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, an ally of the ruling party, always threatens the country's breakup and the two had a 'fight' today as well.
On Tuesday, sources said the PPP continued to demand that the matter should be decided in the CCI whereas the government still states that there is no need for this venture.
Last week, the parties had agreed on keeping the total number of NA seats the same and changing the quota of the provinces in light with the provisional census results.
However, when the time came to pass the appropriate legislation in the NA, the main opposition parties, PPP, PTI and MQM, backed out.
Moreover, the government lawmakers also seemed uninterested as many did not attend the NA proceedings last Thursday and Friday.
The government on Monday (Nov 6) prorogued the NA session — a decision which NA Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah criticised in a media talk today.
The ECP has said it needs Parliament to pass necessary legislation in line with the latest census if next year's elections are to be held on time.
At present, the PPP says it wants to see elections held on time whereas the PTI has called for early elections.
