Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omer Ayub has announced that he will not write to the prime minister regarding the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and members from Punjab and Balochistan.

Instead, he plans to write to the National Assembly speaker tomorrow, urging the formation of a parliamentary committee to expedite the appointment process as the issue remains pending.

The tenure of the current chief election commissioner and provincial members is set to expire on Jan 26. In an interview with Samaa TV, Omer Ayub stated his distrust of the prime minister, saying, "If I do not accept the PM, why should I write a letter to him?"

Omer Ayub revealed that in his letter to the speaker, to be sent tomorrow, he will formally request the establishment of a parliamentary committee and emphasise the need to initiate the legal processes for the timely appointment of the CEC and provincial members.

He also added, "Once the appointment process begins, I will propose suitable candidates for consideration."

Also Read: CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja to retire in 18 days

With only 13 days left until the retirement of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the consultation process between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omer Ayub for appointing their replacements has yet to begin.

The chief election commissioner, along with ECP members from Sindh and Balochistan, is set to retire on Jan 26. However, according to the 26th Amendment, the current officeholders will continue in their roles until new appointments are finalized.

As per the Constitution, the prime minister and the opposition leader are required to consult and propose three mutually agreed names for the position of chief election commissioner and ECP members. These names are then forwarded to a 12-member parliamentary committee, which makes the final decision.

In case the two leaders fail to reach a consensus, each will submit three separate names to the committee, which will then deliberate and finalize the appointments.

The eligibility criteria for the chief election commissioner include being a former Supreme Court judge, a technocrat, or a bureaucrat under the age of 68.