ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken a practical step towards initiating dialogue between the government and the opposition by inviting National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai for mandatory consultations on the appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), a source close to the prime minister told Dawn on Thursday.

However, the opposition leader has so far not responded to the prime minister’s invitation.

Interestingly, the invitation was extended days before the PTI-led long march towards Islamabad on Sept 27.

“Yes, the prime minister invited him (Achakzai) for consultation,” the source said.

A few days ago, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, during an NA session, stressed the need for political harmony and stability and expressed the desire for the prime minister to initiate dialogue with the opposition by, as a first step, inviting the opposition leader for consultations on the appointment of a new CEC.

On the other hand, PTI kept mum on the matter. When a senior party leader was contacted, he was reluctant to comment on the prime minister’s invitation.

The five-year term of incumbent CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja expired on Jan 26, 2025. Raja has remained controversial since the ouster of the PTI government in April 2022 over what the opposition called his “support” for the PML-N-led government.

One of the main allegations levelled against Raja was that he had deprived PTI of its party symbol, the bat, in the 2024 elections.

His critics alleged that the denial of the party symbol was aimed not only at disadvantaging PTI by confusing voters, but also at allowing PTI-backed “independents” to later join the ruling coalition without risking disqualification. They also claimed that the move was intended to deprive PTI of its share of reserved seats.

Section 2A of Article 213 of the Constitution says: “The Prime Minister shall in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, forward three names for appointment of the Commissioner to a Parliamentary Committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person.”

Section 2B says: “The Parliamentary Committee to be constituted by the Speaker shall comprise fifty per cent members from the Treasury Benches and fifty per cent from the Opposition Parties, based on their strength in Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament), to be nominated by the respective Parliamentary Leaders: Provided that in case there is no consensus between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, each shall forward separate lists to the Parliamentary Committee for consideration which may confirm any one name.”

“Provided further that the total strength of the Parliamentary Committee shall be twelve members out of which one-third shall be from the Senate, and provided also that when the National Assembly is dissolved and vacancy occurs in the office of the Chief Election Commissioner, the total membership of the Parliamentary Committee shall consist of the members from the Senate only and the foregoing provisions of this clause shall, mutatis mutandis, apply.”

Earlier in August, Achakzai urged the prime minister in a letter to appoint a new chief election commissioner, along with two members representing Sindh and Balochistan.

The incumbent CEC Raja, along with Sindh and Balochistan ECP members, have now been in office for over a year after the expiry of their constitutionally mandated five-year terms.

The terms of the three officials ended on Jan 26, 2025. Under Article 215(4) of the Constitution, appointments to these posts were required within 45 days after the positions became vacant, i.e., by March 12, 2025.

However, a proviso inserted into Article 215(1) through the 26th Constitutional Amendment allows the CEC and members to continue until their successors are appointed. The incumbent CEC and two ECP members are serving under this provision.