Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Wednesday signed an agreement after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif approved formation of judicial commission to investigate the vote rigging allegations. The leaders of both PTI and PML-N signed the agreement, accepting the terms of reference (ToRs) of the commission which will be set up through a presidential ordinance within the next 24 hours.
"We cannot give any exact timeframe but we will try to issue the [presidential] ordinance before Thursday midnight," said finance minister Ishaq Dar while announcing - along with PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi - the signing of the agreement at a press conference.
According to the agreement, the judicial commission will investigate the matter within 45 days of its formation. On behalf of PTIs Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Khan Tareen signed the agreement, while Ishaq Dar put his signature on behalf of the government.
Dar said both PTI and PML-N will be bound to accept the findings of the commission, adding that if the rigging allegations levelled by PTI are proved, the prime minister will dissolve the assembly.
"It's clear that if the rigging allegations proved, the prime minister will be left with no option but to dissolve the National Assembly, if not the PTI will withdraw its allegations," he added.
About the timeframe of the commission to complete the gigantic task, he said it is up to the commission and as per its terms of reference it has to complete its investigations within 45 days.
"We did our job and now it's the responsibility of other stakeholder to complete the inquiry within the stipulated period of time and the ordinance can be extended if it exceeds the 45-day period," he added.
About the delay in setting up the commission, he said that "not even a single coma was changed in the recent draft as there were some general changes in ToRs, which consumed some time due to a busy schedule of prime minister." "The draft was finalised on March 24, the day when it was discussed with heads of all political parties during a meeting with prime minister and now all the parliamentary parties have endorsed it and the document has become more unanimous and comprehensive," he explained.
Dar further stated that confusion about electoral fraud should be cleared as the government has made sincere efforts to remove the apprehensions of masses, adding the draft of the presidential ordinance is almost ready, which will be issued by Thursday night.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi, PTI vice chairman, said the document will be remembered as historic as far as free, fair and transparent elections are concerned as its findings will also be incorporated in the recommendations of the electoral reforms committee.
"Through this document, we've given a model for free and transparent elections in future...this document will ascertain what happened in 2013 elections while the election process will be strengthened deepening the roots of democracy in future," he added. He lauded the role of political parties for endorsing the document.
About the accord signed between the two parties on March 20 and the one on April 01, Qureshi said there is "a hell of a difference" between the two documents as the recent one has been endorsed by all the parliamentary political parties, adding the draft was sent to them and their input was incorporated to make it more authentic and unanimous.
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