ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Thursday, rejected a petition seeking the removal of caretaker Federal Minister for Privatisation and Inter-Provincial Coordination Fawad Hasan Fawad from the caretaker cabinet.

The petition was filed in October seeking the removal of “biased” members of the federal cabinet to ensure the conduct of free, fair, and transparent general elections in February next year.

The verdict of the electoral watchdog comes days after the ECP ordered the removal of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema from his post in the same case. The ECP, in its verdict, said the petition appeared to be a result of a personal grudge, saying that Fawad was the privatisation minister; therefore, he could not influence the election process.

The plea, filed by Advocate Syed Aziz Uddin Kaka Khel on September 29, requested the ECP to remove “biased ministers” from the interim government ahead of the general polls, scheduled to take place on February 8, 2024. The ECP added that the minister had been serving in important positions in the past. Fawad was principal secretary to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, while Cheema was an aide to Shehbaz Sharif when the latter was premier.

In the short order issued last week, the ECP had said the petitioner’s request for Cheema to be removed was “reasonable and is accepted” on the basis that the latter was a part of the previous government and could thus “influence the holding of free, fair and transparent elections” if he continued in his post.

The ECP had directed that Cheema be removed from his position and ordered the Cabinet Division secretary to immediately issue the notification in this regard.

The petition had noted that transparency of elections was not possible due to certain persons being in the caretaker government. “If the government wants a transparent election, these people should be removed from their positions,” the petition had said.

The ECP noted that the respondent’s role as a minister for privatisation did not have a significant impact on the electoral process.

Fawad has served as principal secretary to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He had also faced NAB investigation for several years in an alleged white-collar crime case but was acquitted of all charges.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023