National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser has written a letter to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the NA Shehbaz Sharif, in which he has requested the latter to cooperate for the passage of some important bills by the assembly, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.

In the letter, the NA speaker has called upon Shehbaz to rise above political considerations so that the bills related to electoral reforms, electronic voting machines (EVMs) and NAB could be passed in the best national interests. “The bills could not be passed as yet since these are currently being debated in the NA committees. You, therefore, are requested to convince the lawmakers belonging to the opposition to cooperate with the government for their speedy passage,” writes Qaiser, and assures the opposition leader that his office will act as a ‘bridge’ between members of the political divide. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition parties had sought request from the NA speaker in writing for the passage of these bills.    

A day earlier, the opposition parties had met Asad Qaiser to convey that any step for further talks and legislative business would be linked with him giving assurance in writing that all bills in the joint session and ordinances promulgated would first be discussed at the parliamentary committee stage.

Just after the beleaguered government was defeated twice in assembly and had to put off the joint session of parliament within 24 hours of its summoning, the opposition parties have exerted further pressure and started placing conditions for further talks and legislative business.

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Meanwhile, the government had decided to use the speaker’s office to get in touch with the opposition parties so that they could move the electoral reforms bills with consensus.

Taking advantage of the situation where even the government’s allies have expressed reservations over its move to pass electoral reforms bills, including the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and introduction of e-voting for overseas Pakistanis in the next general elections, the opposition parties have put forward conditions for further action.

Reporter Usman Khan