ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: President Mamnoon Hussain on Friday issued an ordinance for setting up a judicial commission to probe alleged rigging in 2013 general elections.
It came two days after the federal government-led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) signed an agreement for constitution of a judicial commission.
On Wednesday, the ruling PML-N and the PTI finally signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to constitute a judicial commission that will investigate allegations of rigging in May 2013 general elections.
Later on Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif advised the president to promulgate an ordinance setting up the commission.
In his address at a news conference in Punjab House Islamabad where the two parties signed the MoU on Wednesday night, the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that under the agreement, an ordinance would be promulgated for setting up the commission.
The finance minister said that the proposed Judicial Commission would complete its investigation into the alleged poll rigging, preferably within 45 days.
Ishaq Dar said that if the commission determined that the elections were not rigged then the PTI’s allegations would be withdrawn and the Parliament would continue its work.
On the occasion, the PTI Senior Vice President Shah Mahmood Qureshi hoped that the agreement would help strengthen the democratic system in the country.