National Consensus Commission (NCC) is nearing final decisions on a number of crucial political reform issues, with political parties expected to be formally briefed by Thursday, said NCC Vice Chair Professor Ali Riaz on Wednesday.

Speaking at the second phase of dialogue between NCC and political parties, Prof. Riaz emphasized the urgency of completing the reform process.

“Among the responsibilities entrusted to us, making timely decisions is essential. We are working diligently and expect to share our conclusions with the political parties by tomorrow,” he stated.

Wednesday’s discussions focuses on several important reform issues including the powers and responsibilities of the President, the presidential election process, the upper house formation and election process of its members, women`s representation in Parliament, expansion of basic rights of the nationals, the fundamental principles of the state, and appointment process of the Public Service Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the office of the Ombudsman.

Appointment processes for key institutions, including the Public Service Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, and the Ombudsman’s office

Prof. Riaz noted that notable progress has been made on the issue of women’s representation in Parliament, with a draft proposal already shared with the political parties.

The NCC has also circulated a separate proposal regarding the expansion of fundamental rights for citizens.

According to Riaz, while all parties agree in principle, there are still differences over how such reforms should be integrated into the Constitution.

“By the end of today, we plan to distribute a list of issues where consensus has already been achieved,” he said. “We hope to present a unified and broadly acceptable draft charter to all political parties tomorrow.”