ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah held a meeting in Islamabad on Monday to discuss the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC); however, they could not reach a consensus on a name for the post.
The federal minister for finance Ishaq Dar was also present in the meeting.
Talking to media representatives after the meeting, the opposition leader said that he and the prime minister held consultations over 6 or 7 names for the next head of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). However, they could not come to an agreement over the name.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader said that he would hold another meeting with the prime minister on Tuesday, hoping that they would able to decide the name of the new CEC by December 5.
Earlier in the day, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, while hearing the case pertaining to the appointment of a new CEC, directed Attorney General Salman Butt to provide assurance to the apex court by tomorrow that the CEC appointment would be made before the court’s December 5 deadline expires.
The Attorney General apprised the apex court that the prime minister and the opposition leader would finalise the name of a new CEC during their meeting on Monday.
