PM Shehbaz invites NA opposition leader Achakzai for consultation on new CEC

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended an invitation to National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai for mandatory consultations regarding the appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), according to a source familiar with the situation. However, Achakzai has not yet responded to the prime minister's offer.

The invitation came just days before a long march towards Islamabad organized by the PTI-led government on September 27. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had previously urged for political harmony and stability, calling on the prime minister to initiate dialogue with the opposition by first inviting the opposition leader to discuss the appointment of a new CEC.

The current CEC, Sikandar Sultan Raja, whose five-year term expired on January 26, 2025, has been a point of controversy since the PTI government's removal in April 2022. Critics allege that Raja deprived the PTI of its party symbol in the 2024 elections and favored PTI-backed independents over the party, potentially leading to a loss of reserved seats.

Section 2A of Article 213 of the Constitution outlines the process for appointing the CEC, requiring the Prime Minister to consult the Leader of the Opposition and submit three names to a parliamentary committee for confirmation. Section 2B specifies that the committee should consist of an equal number of members from the ruling party and the opposition, with the final decision based on consensus.

The deadline for appointing a new CEC was March 12, 2025, but a provision in the 26th Constitutional Amendment allows the current CEC and members to remain in office until their replacements are confirmed.