Islamabad:
In a significant development, a major reshuffle took place at the country’s surveillance authority authority – the Pakistan Electoral Commission (ECP) – with three of its provincial members who exchange premises.
According to a notification issued Thursday, Sharifullah, the Sindh provincial election commissioner, was appointed commissioner in the Punjab provincial elections.
Muhammad Farid Afridi, the Balutchistan provincial election commissioner, was appointed joint electoral commissioner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Aijaz Anwar Chohan, the Punjab provincial elections commissioner, was renewed in his functions as commissioner in the Sindh provincial elections.
Ali Asghar Sial was appointed Commissioner in the Provincial Elections of Baloutchistan while the Shahab was appointed additional general manager (head office).
The election commissioner (CEC), Sikander Sultan Raja, ended his mandate. However, the government and the opposition have not yet been able to start negotiations to find its successor.
On January 27, one day after the end of the mandate of the outgoing CEC, the PTI, the largest opposition party, demanded that the government immediately and transparently appoint an honest, impartial and neutral CEC “in consultation with the PTI.
“The Dark era of the CEC has left an indelible mark on the country’s electoral landscape,” said Sheikh Waqas Akram, central information secretary, in a statement.
He declared that it was the responsibility of the government to ensure timely and consensual appointments of the CEC and two other provincial chiefs of the electoral organization “to protect the institution from additional destruction”.
The PTI information secretary said that the outgoing mandate of the CEC had seriously damaged the reputation of the ECP, thus allowing him to continue the position would be a blatant injustice, not only for the institution but also for the nation.
The PTI had a difficult relationship with the ECP under the direction of Raja, marked by legal challenges and public disputes. Tensions culminated in the general elections in 2024, where the PTI claimed the widespread rigging and the voting of falsification after the dispute led by the ECP has stripped the party of its emblematic electoral symbol of a cricket bat.
The party has repeatedly accused Raja of having delayed the results of the elections and falsification of voting counts, allegations that the ECP has always denied. The PTI also called for the resignation of Raja, saying that its actions have eroded confidence in the capacity of ECP to carry out fair elections.
