Islamabad: Pakistan’s ruling Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) on Friday made yet another U-turn on a previously stated position, as it recanted its vow not to let opposition leader in the National Assembly and former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif get the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Shahbaz Sharif who is the younger brother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and is president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was elected unopposed as chairman of the PAC here Friday.

Delays in the appointment of PAC chief and heads of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly were causing embarrassment for the PTI-led government.

Finally, after four months, the government did the needful and appointed members from opposition and treasury benches as heads of the standing committees.

According to a circular issued by the National Assembly Secretariat, the PAC comprises 30 members of the National Assembly and Senate while the Law and Justice Committee has 20 members.

The PAC comprises Shahbaz Sharif, Syed Fakhar Imam, Sardar Nasrullah Khan, Riaz Fatyana, Malek Aamir Dogar, Munaza Hassan, Noor Alam Khan, Khawaja Sheeraz Mahmoud and Aijaz Ahmad Shah, among others.

Sharif’s name, suggested by PML-N lawmaker Shaikh Rohail Asghar and seconded by Mushahid Hussain Sayed was accepted without any opposition.

Spokesperson for the government and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had a day earlier on Thursday made it clear that the government members of the PAC would neither put forward a candidate for the slot nor oppose the name of Shahbaz Sharif.

After being elected as the chairman, Sharif thanked Members of Parliament for their trust in him and vowed to ensure that the process of accountability would be transparent.

The PML-N president also thanked the former chairman of the committee, Pakistan People’s Party leader Khursheed Shah, for running the PAC effectively. The PAC chairman announced that the first PAC meeting would be held on December 28.

For months, the government and opposition were deadlocked regarding the appointment of a PAC chairman.

The government was reluctant to accept Sharif as the PAC chairman, after the opposition had nominated him.

As per convention, the PAC chairmanship has always been given to Leader of the Opposition.

Since Sharif has cases pending against him filed by the National Accountability Bureau, the government was unwilling to let him take over the post.

Even some Federal ministers, including Railways Minister Shaikh Rashid, and Ports and Shipping Minister Ali Zedi, had openly criticised the decision taken by the government.

But the latest move by the PTI-led government has been praised by the PML-N and the PPP saying it indicates the government believed in supremacy of the Parliament and in running it smoothly.

The Public Accounts Committee is the body that monitors and oversees public service initiatives by government organisations and departments.

Its most important role is to examine the auditor-general’s reports on ministries, divisions, corporations and other independent and semi-autonomous government bodies.