The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday reiterated its demand for the government to form a parliamentary committee to appoint a new Election Commissioner (CEC), a day after Sikander Sultan Raja’s tenure ended.
PTI leader and opposition figure Omar Ayub has written to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, urging him to establish the committee to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements.
“Sikander Sultan Raja’s tenure ended yesterday. He has no moral authority to continue. He and the two retired commissioners should step down immediately,” Ayub said on social media platform X.
Raja’s tenure has been marked by controversy, including last year’s general election, which saw allegations of manipulated results, internet outages and delays. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denied PTI’s allegations, while the watchdog government attributed the disturbances to maintenance of law and order.
Tensions between Imran Khan’s party and Raja peaked in August 2022, when the ECP ruled that PTI had received prohibited foreign funds, a charge the party denies. Later that year, the Commission disqualified Khan from public service for undeclared assets, a verdict PTI rejected as politically motivated.
Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023 on several charges, was removed from office in April 2022 by a parliamentary vote. Once aligned with Pakistan’s powerful military, Khan has since accused him of supporting his political rivals, allegations the military denies.
The demand for a new CEC comes as political tensions between the PTI and the government escalate. The PTI last week withdrew from the talks, citing unmet demands for judicial commissions to investigate anti-government protests in May 2023 and November 2024, and the release of Khan and political prisoners.
The government’s negotiating team has pledged to respond to PTI’s demands by January 28, criticizing the party for withdrawing from talks unilaterally. Meanwhile, calls for the appointment of a new electoral leader remain unresolved, further intensifying the political impasse.
