Parliamentary parties fail to agree on bill for delimitation of constituencies

ISLAMABAD (APP): Leaders of Parliamentary parties in the National Assembly during a meeting on Tuesday failed to agree on a bill on delimitation of constituencies but agreed that general elections should be held on time next year.

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq chaired the meeting at the Parliament House here so that parliamentary leaders can overcome differences on the bill.

The parliamentary leaders discussed different suggestions to reach an understanding on the bill for new delimitation of constituencies after the census held this year. The census was held after a gap of almost two decades.

Talking to media after the meeting, the parliamentary leaders of major parties expressed the desire that delay in elections should be avoided.

Speaker National Assembly told that all the parties desire that elections should be held on time. Shah Mehmood Qureshi said PTI wanted that polls should be held as per schedule.

Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid briefed the leaders of parliamentary parties over the issues concerning the delimitation of constituencies.

Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek i Insaf had reservations over the bill. Muttahida Qaumi Movement had objected over the census figures for the city of Karachi.

Reportedly, PPP wanted that the matter should be first referred to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) before tabling of the bill in the National Assembly.

Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq will again chair a meeting on Wednesday in an effort to arrive at consensus on the issue of delimitation of constituencies.