Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary leaders even on Wednesday failed to reach consensus on a constitutional amendment for fresh delimitation of constituencies on the basis of provisional results of the recently-held census.

The delimitation of constituencies of the national and provincial assemblies is mandatory after the fresh census. An amendment in Article 51 of the constitution is required for fresh delimitation of constituencies.

The fourth meeting on the subject was held here at the Parliament House with National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair, attended by leaders of parliamentary parties.

While briefing journalists after the meeting, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said, “Though a consensus has not been reached regarding the amendment but all political parties have agreed on a point that elections should not be delayed.”

“The leadership has unanimously decided that the upcoming elections could not be held on the bases of previous census held in 1998 because of legal compulsions,” he said, adding, “PPP wants to send the matter to Council of Common Interest (CCI) while some other parties are of the view that the final decision should be made by parliament being a superior forum.” The speaker said the government will continue its efforts to break the deadlock at the earliest. “Next session of National Assembly will be called once the situation becomes clear,” he said.

Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Director General Arshad Khan told reporters that the commission had asked the government to pass the amendment by November 10. However, he said that even if the government is able to do it within the next 10 days (by Nov 18), the ECP can begin its work on time.

He said the ECP requires at least four months to complete the process of delimitation of constituencies, adding that the elections can be held on time only if the commission is provided with the provisional census report on time. “If a timely decision is not made, holding of elections [according to schedule] will become difficult,” he said.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he does not see the PPP’s reservations being addressed or the PML-N ensuring its members’ presence in the NA. Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed said that the government should resign over its failure to ensure the presence of its MNAs in the assembly.

Published in Daily Times, November 9^th 2017.