The government has announced a power-sharing arrangement for the Senate’s Electoral Reforms Committee, granting the country’s three largest political parties—the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—two seats each on the panel.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry confirmed the allocation on Thursday, noting that smaller parties, including the Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), National Party, and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), will each hold one seat. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar is tasked with finalizing the committee’s composition following consultations with opposition leaders and coalition partners.
Push for Opposition Participation
The move follows a concerted effort by the PPP to bring the PTI back into the parliamentary fold. In late October, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari urged Leader of the Opposition Mahmood Khan Achakzai to utilize his authority to nominate members for the committee. Bilawal has consistently advocated for opposition involvement in key legislative processes, including electoral reforms and the appointment of officials to the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The establishment of this committee marks a significant step in the government's ongoing efforts to secure broad-based consensus on electoral procedures through formal parliamentary channels.
