'July Charter' can be implemented in July: Ali Riaz
Vice-Chair of the National Consensus Commission Ali Riaz today (17 June) said efforts are underway to implement the 'July Charter' next month in July, following discussions with political parties.
Speaking at the opening of the second phase of talks with political parties at the Foreign Service Academy, Prof Riaz emphasised the need for a spirit of compromise among all stakeholders.
"Not all political parties may agree on every issue, but everyone must continue the dialogue with a willingness to compromise," he said.
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Ali Riaz said there has been a consensus on amending the Article 70 so that there will be no binding obligation for Members of Parliament to vote against matters other than finance bills and vote of confidence.
An agreement has been reached to appoint opposition party members as chairpersons in four standing committees of the parliament – Public Accounts, Privileges, Estimates, and Undertakings.
He also said that there has been extensive discussion on women's representation. Although there is agreement on 100 seats, discussions are still ongoing regarding the election method. He expressed hope that a consensus on these matters will be reached next week.
Regarding the appointment of the chief justice, he said that the matter is addressed in Articles 95(1) and 48(3) of the Constitution. Most parties have agreed on providing the president with a set of characteristics for the appointment.
He mentioned that on the issue of establishing a bicameral parliament, consensus has been reached on two points – an upper house will be formed and it will consist of 100 seats.
He added that progress is being made in the discussions.
He also noted that the government has made contact with Jamaat, and they will join the talks starting tomorrow.
Although informal discussions resumed before Eid, Tuesday marked the beginning of formal talks between the commission and representatives from various political parties.
Representatives from 30 political parties, including the BNP and NCPC, are participating in this phase.
Key agenda items include Article 70 of the Constitution, women's representation in Parliament, nomination of standing committee chairpersons, the proposal for a bicameral legislature, and the appointment process of the Chief Justice.
Ali Riaz informed that discussions would continue for the next three consecutive days.
He also noted that the commission is open to continuing talks even on weekends, should the political parties agree.
The National Consensus Commission has initiated this multi-phase dialogue to build a broad political agreement on key governance and constitutional issues.
The proposed 'July Charter' is expected to serve as a foundational framework for future reforms.
