Caretaker setup: PTI lambastes ECP for silence over non-stop induction of loyalists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday lambasted the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for its silence over the non-stop induction of known political loyalists of a political party into the caretaker setup of Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

PTI spokesman, Raoof Hassan, flayed the ECP for its inaction against the induction of staunch loyalists and persons of known political allegiance belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) into the caretaker federal cabinet.

After the induction of controversial persons in “illegal and unconstitutional” caretaker setups of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added, the same strategy was being applied in the federal cabinet right under the nose of Sikander Sultan Raja – the chief election commissioner (CEC).

He said the induction of people having close association with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance was a clear violation of Article 224 of the constitution and Section 230 of the Election Act.

He went on saying that it was clearly mentioned in section 230 of the Election Act that “neutral and apolitical should be included in the caretaker government”.

He regretted that after making the caretaker setups in four provinces, the constitutional concept of a neutral, impartial, and uncontroversial caretaker cabinet had completely been destroyed in the centre as well.

He said the ECP had completely failed to fulfil its constitutional role to ensure setting up neutral caretaker governments, adding the sole purpose of caretaker government was to conduct elections within the constitutionally mandated 90-day limit.

He underlined that according to the Constitution and the Election Act, the ECP was duty-bound to form neutral caretaker governments and hold polls within the constitutionally defined timeframe.

He insisted that the ECP should take tangible and practical steps to ensure the impartiality and neutrality of the caretaker governments instead of merely writing letters.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023