ECP appointments likely to be finalised on 30th.

Byline: MANSOOR ALI

ISLAMABAD -- The government and the opposition are optimistic that appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and members of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to be finalized in the upcoming meeting of the Parliamentary Committee to be held on December 30.

The committee in its previous meeting on Tuesday had failed to have a consensus over the fresh appointments in the Election Commission.

However, a credible source in opposition parties which is also a part of the committee formed for the resolution of ECP issue told The Nation that things were on the right track and both the parties were likely to have a consensus over the appointments in the upcoming meeting.

The source said that the matter of members of ECP from Sindh and Balochistan was resolved through mutual understanding and the deadlock on the CEC was likely to be ended in next meeting.

The source elaborated that the opposition wanted to appoint Jalil Abbas Jilani as a CEC but the government on the other hand insisted on the name of Baber Yaqoob for the post.

The source informed The Nation that it was the responsibility of the government to take on board the opposition on any issue of national interest, but the incumbent government was lacking such ability which was one of the reasons of disagreement, he said.

Earlier, the Senate chairman and the National Assembly speaker had requested the Islamabad High Court to grant 10 more days for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the ECP members as the government and opposition despite...