ECP advises Kakar against inducting politicians into cabinet

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has written to the caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to avoid selecting persons of known political allegiance to ensure a level playing field for all political parties and election contestants.

“It is a general perception that the caretaker government is a continuation of the previous government. A recent press conference held by a political party is a pointer in this direction, whereby they have blamed the caretaker government for carrying on with the previous political legacy,” wrote the ECP Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal Hussain to the caretaker premier’s secretary Dr Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah on behalf of the Election Commission.

The special secretary said it was desired that while selecting a member of the cabinet, due care should be exercised to avoid persons of known political allegiance. Moreover, while selecting senior civil servants for appointment to key positions, this aspect should also be kept in mind to strengthen the reality of a neutral caretaker setup.

He emphasized that Article 218 (3) of the Constitution mandated the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to organize and conduct the election and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly

and in accordance with law and that corrupt practices are guarded against. “This provision is actually a clarion call to ensure that a level playing field is provided to all political parties and contesting candidates for elections,” he wrote. In a related development, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott emphasised free, credible, transparent and inclusive elections during a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja. Jane shared on X about the meeting with the CEC at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) office. “Important introductory meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja at ECP today,” Marriott wrote. The diplomat added that she and CEC agreed that it was crucial for Pakistan to witness “free, credible, transparent and inclusive elections in line with the law”. The meeting between the UK envoy and CEC Raja comes at a time when the country is awaiting the announcement of the next general polls. This is not the first time that a foreign envoy has met the ECP chief and commented on the conduct of general polls in the country. Last month, US Ambassador Donald Blome also met CEC Raja to reaffirm his country’s support for “free and fair elections”, adding that it would work to strengthen the US-Pakistan relationship with “whomever the Pakistani people choose”. The surprise meeting of Jane Marriott with the CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja triggered a reaction from the political and social spectrum. The strongest reaction came from the PTI, as its spokesman said the objectives of the British high commissioner’s visit to the head office of ECP were incomprehensible. He expressed concern over the silence of the Foreign Office over the visit. He insisted that the objectives of British high commissioner’s visit to the ECP and other related details of her engagements at the ECP should be placed before the nation without any delay. The spokesman was of the view that the aims and objectives of the British high commissioner’s meeting with the CEC and other relevant details should be explained to the nation.