Nominees of opposition selected as interim CMs of Punjab, KP: ECP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) selected caretaker chief ministers from nominees suggested by the opposition in a show of neutrality and to dispel the impression of any leniency towards any ruling party, a senior official of the ECP told Business Recorder.
"We selected Dost Muhammad as caretaker chief minister Khyber Pukhtukhwa, and he was nominated by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) which is in the opposition in KP. Allauddin Marri was selected in Balochistan, nominated by Zehri group (PML-N) currently in opposition. While in Punjab the PTI recommended two names - Professor Hassan Askari Rizvi and Ayaz Amir and between the two Professor Askari was considered to be more acceptable to PML-N," he added.
All the selections were made with sincerity and after carefully taking into account their credibility and acceptance, and none of those selected have affiliations with any political parties, past or present, and those who are criticizing ECP's selection, have been failed to bring any evidence in support of their accusations," the official said.
The former ruling PML-N on Thursday rejected the ECP nomination of senior analyst Hassan Askari Rizvi as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) nominee, and maintained that the ECP's decision has cast doubts over the transparency of general elections.
The ECP official dismissed the PML-N objection saying that the decision was taken 'purely on merit' in accordance with the Constitution. He maintained that the members of the commission as well as chief election commissioner have unanimously selected the best candidates for the office of the caretaker chief ministers in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan from the names forwarded by the parliamentary committee.
Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad, former secretary ECP concurred and added that the objection to Askari as the caretaker chief minister of Punjab is part of PML-N's 'strategy' to exert pressure on the chief minister not to make any changes in the bureaucracy.
"The former chief minister Punjab has appointed 'favoured' bureaucrats in key positions and opposition to him is merely PML-N strategy's to maintain pressure on the caretaker chief minister not to transfer anyone before the elections", he added. According to him, the ECP takes its decisions after thorough deliberations with a view not to take blames for any future situation that might be after the general elections.