ISLAMABAD: The electoral body has finally directed the top two officials of federal bureaucracy in Sindh — the chief secretary and the inspector general of police – to withdraw protocol, security, perks and privileges from former provincial cabinet members, and political appointees of equivalent status—and share compliance report within three days.

“It has been brought to the notice of the honourable commission that former provincial cabinet members and political appointees of equivalent status are continuing to use protocol, security and privileges accorded to them by virtue of their former offices,” stated a letter from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to Sindh Chief Secretary Fakhre Alam Irfan and IGP Riffat Mukhtar Raja on Thursday.

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The letter referred to the guidelines issued by the ECP dated August 15, this year, wherein the poll body directed the authorities concerned to ensure the vacation of the government residential facilities from ex-prime minister, ex-chief ministers and their advisors, ex-federal, ex-provincial ministers, and ex-members of national and provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan, besides ensuring the withdrawal of official vehicles from them.

“You are, hereby, advised to withdraw protocol/security and perks and privileges from those former provincial cabinet members and political appointees of equivalent status, and send a note of compliance within three days. This matter may be treated as most urgent,” the ECP’s letter to the two top officials in Sindh read. Before the dissolution of Sindh Assembly in August this year, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was in the government in the province. The former provincial ruling party is strongly taking on the ECP these days for its failure to ensure the timely conduct of general elections in the country within the constitutionally- mandated 90-day period.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023