ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reshuffled its top officers including three provincial chiefs — what comes as major shake-up in the electoral entity — less than two months after the extended term of the present ECP management began.
The portfolios of Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) Punjab Aijaz Anwer Chohan and PEC Sindh Sharifullah have been swapped, it has emerged in the light of a notification issued by the ECP.
PEC Balochistan Farid Afridi has been transferred to the position of Joint Provincial Election Commissioner (Elections) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Ali Asghar Sial has been appointed as PEC Balochistan, reshuffled from the position of Additional Director General (Electoral Rolls).
Aleem Shahab, the JPEC (Elections) KP, has been posted as Additional DG (ER), according to the notification.
This January 26, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and two ECP members; Nisar Ahmed Durrani (Sindh) and Shah Muhammad Jatoi (Balochistan), stood retired following the completion of their five-year terms at the ECP.
But, following an amendment in Article 215(1) in the Controversial 26th Amendment, last October, the three ECP officials are able to continue to hold the official positions till their replacements are in place.
“In the Constitution, in Article 215, in clause (1) - (A) after the first proviso, the following new proviso shall be inserted, namely: - Provided further that the commissioner and a member shall, notwithstanding the expiration of his term, continue to hold office until his successor enters upon the office,” reads this amendment.
The five-year terms of the remaining two ECP members — Babar Hassan Bharwana (Punjab) and former Justice Ikramullah Khan (KP) — would end on 31 May 2027.
Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan wrote to Speaker NA Ayaz Sadiq to constitute a parliamentary committee under Article 213 (2A) and (2B) on the appointment of new CEC.
These laws provide that the prime minister, in consultation with NA opposition leader, forwards three names for appointment of CEC to a parliamentary committee for hearing and confirmation of any one person.
In case there is no consensus between PM and NA opposition leader, each shall forward separate lists to the parliamentary committee for consideration which may confirm any one name. The parliamentary committee to be constituted by the speaker shall comprise 50 percent members from treasury benches and 50 percent from opposition parties.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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