Daily The News: Qadri announces Election Reforms Commission

Ahmad Noorani

ISLAMABAD: Dr Tahirul Qadri says he has formed an Election Reforms Commission which can complete its job within the stipulated 90-day period allowed by the Constitution to hold fresh elections and former ECP official Kunwar Dilshad has been named as its chairman.

Dr Qadri said in a TV interview that 80 percent of the reforms that need to be made have already been drafted and prepared by his organisation and the new Commission under Kunwar Dilshad will review them and finalise them.

“A team of well known and experienced lawyers and constitutional experts will become members of the reforms commission who will recommend the changes that need to be made so that the grip of the feudal, minority elite interests and landlords is broken,” Dr Qadri said.

He said the basic purpose of the reforms was not to derail democracy or delay the elections but to bring changes which benefit the deprived masses and give them proper representation in the governing process.

Kanwar Dilshad told The News it was totally wrong to say that elections could not be delayed under the constitution.

“Elections have always been delayed in Pakistan on different pretexts and even last general elections scheduled to be held on January 8, 2008 were delayed because of an emergency after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Thus elections can be delayed because of any emergency like natural disasters or floods etc”.

But he added: “Presently there is a flood of peoples emotions who want to get elections delayed till the time the system of elections can be reformed completely.”

Kanwar said elections can be delayed under article 254 and there is no constitutional problem in this regard as had been done several times in the past under the same article.

Kanwar categorically rejected the charge that he was working at the behest or a wink of the establishment.

He said allegations that Dr Tahirul Qadri was working for the establishment and will ultimately serve the objectives of the establishment are also baseless. “Anyone who wants to work for the betterment of the system has to face these allegations,” he added.

Source : http://images.thenews.com.pk/31-12-2012/ethenews/e-151562.htm